"Games like cocaine" claim scrutinised

Counsellor and therapist Steve Pope has failed to produce evidence to defend his publicised claim that "spending two hours on a game station is the equivalent of taking a line of cocaine in the high it produces".

Pope, whose comments were published in the Lancashire Evening Post, explained to Rock, Paper, Shotgun that "I don't rely on reports" and that statistics are "lies, lies and more lies".

His evidence is based on his own experiences. "It's about who walks through my door," he said.

When pushed to present specific facts to back his 'games are like cocaine' argument, Pope said he could not right then and there, but he said he did have some.

Pope's comments were made on the Lancashire Evening Post website on Monday. The piece was apparently an abbreviated version of "a full special report" contained in the printed publication.

Continue on to Rock, Paper, Shotgun for a full analysis of the article.