NPR reported today that supervisors in San Francisco are considering what’s being billed a “nickel a drink” fee to pay for the cost of dealing with alcohol abusers.

“San Francisco has a huge homeless population –- and those who drink heavily cost a lot to take care of.” says the report.

“A steady stream of alcoholics shows up at San Francisco’s Sobering Center run by the Public Health Department. They don’t drop in. They are dropped off — by paramedics, police officers and a fleet of mobile assistance patrol vans.”

The proposal advises a charge of .076 cents on every ounce of alcohol sold in San Francisco. it’s expected that consumers would pay about a nickel more a drink. (read entire story)

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New Regulations in China intended to prevent internet addiction in teens, began to take effect from Sunday.
These regulations, issued by the ministry of culture limit the game timings, require that surfers use their real name and identification numbers, and dictates that games be free of content that lead to imitation of behavior that violates social morals and the law.

Internet addiction disorder is not widely accepted and is believed to have been the result of a hoax, but Asian countries are now taking matters into their own hands, after seeing the effects that uncontrolled use of this media may caused.

National as well as Interational attention grew last year following a series of deaths at boot camps for internet addicted youth. In South Korea, a man was sentenced to two years in prison after he and his wife allowed their three-month-old daughter to starve to death while they raised a virtual child.

New studies also show that internet addicts appear to have more than double the risk of developing depression over time.