Funny how a cash cow changes things

The recently released Nova Scotia report raises serious questions about our dismissal of moral qualms over government sponsored and tolerated suicides.

Remember last year? --

89 people died
If Toyota recalled

8,000,000 vehicles

because

89 people died

why would House Speaker "Racino" DeLeo and Senate President "Cha Ching" Murray support a business that claims 2% of their patrons become addicts?
Las Vegas has a high suicide rate because of Gambling Addiction. Las Vegas has the highest school dropout rate. Las Vegas has the lowest college graduation rate.
Massachusetts can do better.

or SUICIDE

What does this say about our moral bankruptcy?

Weight of odds in wrong corner
The News

Nova Scotia Society often spares no expense on programs that will save lives. "Even if it saves one life, it's worth it," the cliché goes. Yet in the case of gambling addiction and the potential link to suicide, governments including here in Nova Scotia are hesitant to act.

In that case, with the revenues at stake, the principle of sparing no expense to save lives is let slide. Suddenly there's not enough hard, cold proof of the link.

Funny how a cash cow changes things. It's a lot like money from killer cigarettes.

In Nova Scotia the gambling issue has been resurrected.

The province finally released a draft report that examined the social harm caused by gambling. It had balked at making it public when first available two years ago, saying the findings were flawed and should be discarded.

It was finally released upon the recommendation of the freedom of information review officer after appeals by The Canadian Press and anti-gambling group Game Over VLTs.

The findings are startling, and it's little wonder a government profiting from gambling machines wouldn't want to acknowledge the report. The study by Calgary-based consultant Mark Anielski estimates that about six Nova Scotians commit suicide each year because of gambling addiction. In addition to that gamblers surveyed cite mental and physical health problems and high rates of personal bankruptcy.

Because of the "flaws," the current government has said the report provides no guidance. Neither are there any plans for a followup study.

As one might imagine, the political opposition is saying the province should build on this study to provide a good handle on the relation between gambling and social ills. But let's remember that both the Liberals and Conservatives have been in office in the time that VLTs have been running. They've all benefited from the easy revenue source.

At the very least governments need to be honest about this. If there are suicides, if there is a significant cost to society, then it's obscene to weigh the wins versus losses. It simply isn't worth the gamble.