Video game addiction

No real names here. Everyone is 16, 17, 18 years old (except me,older, much)
1. Jason just got his video game privileges back after losing them for the better part of last year. He could barely function at all when he couldn't play. Now he can play on weekends, and ostensibly not during the week. But often during class I see him playing on his iTouch, some simple game. We just went through a period of time when one of the school counselors allowed him to play at school, during lunch (this may still be happening) and then during his study hour, which absolutely cannot happen.
2. Elliot plays late into the night sometimes, cannot stop, cannot turn it off. The next day he has a hangover, and sleeps, unwakeable throughout the school day. You might think that is impossible, but he is a big guy, and when he crashes he is o.u.t. He doesn't do this often, mabe two or three times a month? except for the one or two months when it is more or less every day.
3. Trent is careful to hide his gaming from his family. He has a DS in his pocket. He also hides his manga addiction. I have no idea what else he hides. He barely communicates in words, but can spend hours listening to music while keying stories into a laptop, never? rarely to be shared with anyone.
4. Steven's parents are divorced. He is allowed unrestricted game time at his father's house. He plays all the time. Constantly. Has virtually no other interests. Does almost no academic work. He claims the video games are the only outlet for his anxiety. He also has access to the counselor's game console at school.
5. Patrick doesn't play at school ever. But at home he will become angry and melt down if not allowed considerable game time. Every Day.

For us, the team of people who work with these kids every day it is unrealistic to think we can ignore or change this behavior. I think we need to bring it out and talk about addiction, what it is and how it can control you. Can we make this less like alcohol and more like coffee? Right now this need rules their lives. They cannot take the risk to acknowledge how difficult school is, and how far behind they are because they cannot risk losing these privileges. The need to know when they can play next simply outweighs all other needs.

All this needs more processing. I'm just starting. Maybe it can work into research, or some kind of presentation.