The popular battle royale shooter game 'Fortnite' is the subject of a class action lawsuit in Canada, where some parents argue the game is as addictive as cocaine for their children.
Dr. David Greenfield is the founder of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction.
"To the brain, a drug is a drug and sometimes that drug is a substance and sometimes that drug is a behavior."
Dr. Greenfield told HBO's "Real Sports" the lawsuit's argument has merit.
"Video games activate the same pathways of the brain that all the other addictive, abusable drugs do; it's the same thing, it has the same potency."
The suit, which has yet to be approved by the court, seeks to hold the U.S.-based publisher of Fortnite, Epic Games, accountable for trying to make the game as addictive as possible.
Dr. Greenfield says addicting kids to video games is like shooting fish in a barrel.
"During adolescence they have a wide gap between their ability to exercise self-control and judgement and their ability and desire for pleasure; it's a perfect storm for addiction for that age group."
The lawsuit notes the World Health Organization has recognized what it calls "internet gaming disorder" as a disease.