Gambling: Youths most at risk

Youths are the most vulnerable to gambling vices


What will happen if the lottery and casino gambling are voted in? Our citizens most vulnerable to these vices are our youths.

The U.S. National Gambling Impact Study Commission recently concluded: "One of the most troubling aspects of problem and pathological gambling is its prevalence among youth and adolescents." Get the facts at the website http://thegamble.org/f_facts.htm .

The most striking to me was the Louisiana State University survey of 12,000 adolescents, which found that 86 percent had gambled, including many on legal forms; 32 percent gambled on lotteries; 24 percent on video poker; 16 percent on slot machines; and one in 10 had bet on horse or dog racing.

Should we invite these gambling pressures into Alabama for our young folks to deal with? I think not.

Gambling also increases corruption of people and government and causes an increase in crime and drug abuse. You can find those facts at http://spgfoundation.org/crime%20and%20corruption.htm . Recall a past gubernatorial candidate promoting a state lottery was convicted on corruption charges. Recent corruption charges of four Alabama senators in the federal gambling probe will likewise add emphasis to this Internet report.

Joseph Connaughton

Huntsville