Here’s the formula: Class-action lawyers find companies that sell products or services that could be harmful, especially if over-used or mis-used. Then the lawyers establish that the consumer is not at fault for over-use or mis-ise by claiming that the product is addictive. Since the consumer ceases to be in control of his or her actions if there is an addiction, the company and not the consumer is responsible for the harmful behavior. Then the lawyers collect large sums of money from the companies for whatever harms are alleged. Ka-Ching!
The next target for this formula — indoor tanning companies. According to this LA Times piece, researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York surveyed college students who use tanning salons and found that a large percentage of them met several of the criteria for suffering from an addiction. That’s right, tanning is addictive. You can be sure that the class-action lawyers are not far behind.
I actually think that filing class-action lawsuits is an addictive behavior. Maybe we should file a class-action lawsuit to curtail them. Here are the criteria for an addiction and my analysis of how filing class-action lawsuits meets those criteria:
(1) Tolerance, as defined by either of the following: (a) A need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect. (b) Markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance.
Check! Class-action lawyers seem to need larger and larger settlements to be content.
(2) Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following: (a) The characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance (refer to Criteria A or B of the criteria sets for Withdrawal from specific substances). (b) The same (or a closely related) substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Check! If class-action lawyers don’t get their money they get very cranky. An alternative substance, like diamonds, seems to alleviate these symptoms.
(3) The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.
Check! See answer to (1).
(4) There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use.
Check! Politicians keep talking about the need to reduce class-action lawsuits to little avail.
(5) A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance (such as visiting multiple doctors or driving long distances), use the substance (such as chain smoking) or recover from its effects.
Check! Filing these class-action lawsuits consumes an enormous amount of time, as does conducting junk-science research to support them.
(6) Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use.
Check! The class action lawyers work incredible hours on those suits, depriving them of time with family and having fun.
(7) The substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance.
Check! Frivolous class-action lawsuits continue despite societal awareness that this is nonsense and harmful to commerce.
Posted by Jay P. Greene 
Jay P. Greene's Blog 