Addiction education for young people
Learn about addiction through play. Find support when you need it.
The cookie demo is not our full game.
AHS i4 LaunchpadWinner
Helios & Cumming School of MedicineResearch Innovation Award winner
Our partners
01 / understand the pattern
Addiction is a health issue. Learning about it helps us ask questions and support each other.
Addiction can involve cravings, difficulty controlling use, and continuing despite harm to health, school, or relationships. Enjoyment alone is not addiction.
Biology, stress, experiences, and surroundings all play a part. Support and treatment can help.
Learn more with CAMHGrowing up brings new choices and pressures. Understanding the risks helps you make informed decisions.
You can ask for support before a concern becomes a bigger problem.
Youth & substance use: PHACNicotine in vapes can cause addiction and affect learning, attention, and emotions. Vaping aerosol can also contain harmful chemicals.
Cravings or irritability when you stop may be withdrawal. A health professional can help you make a quitting plan.
Health Canada: risks of vapingYouth guide to quittingAlcohol affects judgement, coordination, and memory. Drinking a lot at once can cause poisoning. Repeated heavy use can lead to serious health problems and addiction.
Choosing not to drink is valid. Talk to a trusted adult or health professional if you’re concerned.
Health Canada: alcohol risksMaking a choice about alcoholCannabis affects memory, attention, and decision-making. Starting young or using frequently raises the risk of dependence and mental health problems.
If use is hard to change, seek support. Never drive or ride with someone who is impaired.
Health Canada: cannabis & your healthEnjoying a game or earning a high score does not mean addiction. Gaming disorder involves loss of control and continued play despite significant harm to daily life.
If gaming repeatedly crowds out sleep, school, or relationships, talk to someone you trust.
WHO: understanding gaming disorderRepeated trouble cutting back or continuing despite problems is a reason to check in. These signs alone are not a diagnosis.
Find someone to talk to02 / learn through play
Our vision: a story-driven world where young people explore choices, peer pressure, and ways to find support.
Discover places and meet characters.
Navigate peer pressure, rewards, and asking for help.
Connect the story to your own questions.
Try our brief demo
This is a brief demo. It is not our actual Inform Addiction game.
Build your bakery and buy upgrades. Choose End & reveal to discover what kept you clicking.
A look at reward loops, not a recreation or diagnosis of addiction.
Play the brief demo03 / your next move
Start with one person you trust. You don’t need all the answers.
Notice what brings on an urge, such as stress, boredom, or a notification.
Ask a caregiver, teacher, counsellor, or health professional to help with your next step.
Make time for friends, rest, movement, and things you enjoy.
Worried about a friend?
Try: “You’ve seemed overwhelmed lately. Want to talk?” Listen without judging and offer to find support together.
You don’t have to fix everything. Keep your boundaries and involve a trusted adult if safety is a concern.
Kids Help Phone: talking with a friend04 / find support in canada
Support is here for questions, concerns, or a next step.
Talk to a counsellor or trained crisis responder about what’s on your mind.
Call 1-800-668-6868Text CONNECT to 686868Explore Kids Help PhoneCall or text if you’re thinking about suicide or worried about someone else.
Call 9-8-8Text 9-8-8About the Suicide Crisis HelplineGet advice and help finding support through Health Link.
Call 1-866-332-2322AHS service information (PDF)Find local resources through the Government of Canada.
A Health Canada guide for youth quitting smoking or vaping.
Independent Canadian services. Details checked September 2026; confirm with each provider. Outside Canada, use local services.
05 / our story
Mirza Beg Co-founder
Ronaar Qureshi Co-founder
We help young people understand addiction through games, clear information, and conversations.
Inform Addiction connects learning with real support. Our games start the conversation; people help it grow.
Recognition
University of Calgary
About the awardA few good questions
The demo, the project, and getting help.
No. Cookie Lab is a brief reward-loop demo, separate from our full story-based game.
No. Enjoyment or a high score does not establish addiction. Ongoing loss of control and significant harm matter. Read the WHO explanation.
No. Questions, concerns, or worries about a friend are enough. Explore the support options.
No. This is an educational project, not a clinical service or validated treatment. Talk to a health professional about personal concerns.
Yes. Use the grown-up guide, agree on a stopping point, and make participation optional. Reflect together without comparing scores as a measure of self-control. Open the brief demo.
You can ask for help at any point
