Drugs in games

Substance abuse can now be added to parents' list of concerns about video games. In "Narc," to be released next week for both PlayStation 2 and Xbox, players "will - as part of the gameplay - be able to take drugs," the New York Times reports. "Taking an Ecstasy tablet creates a mellow atmosphere that can pacify aggressive foes," according to the Times. And there's a downside too: "Using each drug also leads to addiction, which can lead to blackouts that cost the player inventory and to demotions or even expulsion from the police force, which halts progress in the game. In measured doses, the substances can make a tough challenge easier, but the makers of the game say it is possible to play without using the drugs at all." Narc is rated M (for Mature), but so far nothing is stopping kids under 17 from buying the game, despite efforts in a number of states (see "Anti-violent games momentum grows" and "Video games: The bad & the good").