Gambling is a public-health issue: Governments profit while children get addicted, bringing misery and suffering to many

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article

  • author:

    Phyllis Vineberg

  • published in

    : 2000

  • summary

    : It was not long ago that gambling was considered a vice and contrary to the work ethic. Why has it taken so long for the government to make the sale of lottery tickets to our youth illegal? Who is educating parents about the risks associated with gambling? Who is telling parents that four out of every 32 students in their child's school are at risk for gambling problems? Who is telling parents that the rate of attempted suicide among pathological gamblers is higher than all other addictive behaviours and that a Quebec study of college students found that 26.8 per cent of pathological gamblers had attempted suicide? Is anyone concerned about the accessibility of gambling venues in our communities and neighbourhoods? This accessibility contributed to the high levels of gambling reported among youth and also demonstrates the extent to which gambling among our youth has become the social norm. This behaviour is constantly reinforced by local churches and synagogues, schools, sports teams and social clubs that use low-stakes gambling to raise money. Has it been their intention to harm our children? Or have they been receiving the wrong messages from our lottery corporations and governments? What kind of help do we have from the Quebec government, our legislators and police to ensure our children don't go to the casino, buy lottery tickets and play VLTs? Take a walk in your communities and check out the gambling venues as I've done. Check out the casino. You will find minors playing VLTs, buying lottery tickets and gambling at the casino. Guaranteed.

  • type

    : article in journal

  • publisher

    : CanWest Digital Media

  • is part of a publication

    : The Gazette

  • other publication details

    : pg. B.5

  • original language

    : English

  • keywords

    : gambling
  • Article entered in GambLIB database on march 25. 2009, 14:03
  • Item added by staff