I completely agree with your dislike of the word being used that way. Having said that, you may not be far off with the "addictive drug" comment; anecdotally, I can tell you that I know people living below the poverty line who spend on the order of 30% of their gross salary to have a mobile phone (Southern Africa).
The circumstances which lead to that are probably pretty complex, but I'd say they include: a not very competitive market, geographical and other factors making mobiles the only effective technology for communications, marketing and social norms making mobile phones almost a necessity, a lack of basic financial education for many, etc. While I'm sure that people's lives are enhanced in many ways, I'm also sure that there are more responsible ways of spending the little money they do have.
The circumstances which lead to that are probably pretty complex
The main one being the massive desire and need of human beings to communicate with each other, and to feel empowered about their lives. Don't downplay that, there is nothing irresponsible about that.
I didn't mean to downplay that, and I do agree to some degree. But when you're having trouble providing basics for your family (as many people around these parts do), spending on flashy electronics is irresponsible.
The circumstances which lead to that are probably pretty complex, but I'd say they include: a not very competitive market, geographical and other factors making mobiles the only effective technology for communications, marketing and social norms making mobile phones almost a necessity, a lack of basic financial education for many, etc. While I'm sure that people's lives are enhanced in many ways, I'm also sure that there are more responsible ways of spending the little money they do have.