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Prevention of Problem Gambling
JUNE 2000, Vol III, Issue 6

*A Monthly Newsletter on Problem Gambling Prevention Information, Research, and Initiatives*

"No progress has ever been made against an epidemic by treating only the casualties."

GAMBLING IN THE NEWS GAMBLING, RISK BEHAVIORS AND ADOLESCENTS

In this edition of the Newsletter, two recent news articles of interest to the field of prevention are highlighted.

An electronic article published by Pediatrics (Volume 102, Number 2) explored the connection between gambling and other risk behaviors among adolescents (available at www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/102/2/e23).

The study design was an anonymous risk behavior administered to 21,297 8th - 12th grade students in 79 public and private schools in Vermont. This represents 67% of all students in these grades in Vermont. The survey was administered to all students in grades 8-12 who were present in school on one particular day. The sample was 49% male, with a mean age of 15.5 years. Some of the results included:

Cocaine Use:
gamblers without problems related to gambling - 4%
gamblers with problems related to gambling - 17%

Inhalant Use:
non-gamblers - 10%
gamblers without problems related to gambling ¬°V 20%
gamblers with problems related to gambling ¬°V 33%

Other Illegal Drug Use:
non-gamblers - 8%
gamblers without problems related to gambling - 15%
gamblers with problems related to gambling - 28%

Fighting Within the Past 30 Days:
non-gamblers - 25%
gamblers without problems related to gambling - 45%
gamblers with problems related to gambling - 62%

Although direct causation between gambling and other risk behaviors cannot be made out of this study, the results certainly indicate a need for further study. There is also a clear enough indication of co-existing high-risk behaviors to (1) warrant attention from prevention professionals as they design programs for high-risk youth and (2) encourage intervention and treatment professionals to assess gambling issues as they intake substance abusing youth.

New England Problem Gambling Helplines:

CT 800-346-6238
MA 800-426-1234
RI 877-9-GAMBLE
VT 888-822-8274

In an article this past March in the Boston Globe, staff member Dolores Kong reported on the increase of gambling over the Internet. She gave as resources a number of websites that have helpful materials which address Internet gambling:

www.800gambler.org (Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey) Monthly e-mail updates, on-line polls, newsletters.

www.calproblemgambling.org (California Council on Problem Gambling) Self-test designed for teenagers, symptoms of teen-age problem gamblers.

www.globalcashaccess.com/responsible.html (Global Cash Access) On-site form where gamblers can have their cards rejected at cash machines in casinos.

www.nati.org (North American Training Institute)

Participate on-line in a survey of adult gambling by Louisiana State University.

www.masscompulsivegambling.org (Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling) Basic information, questionnaires for gamblers and significant others, referral and treatment.

If you have a favorite website related to the prevention of problem gambling, send it along and we will include it in our compendium of problem gambling resource websites, which will be published in the July edition of this newsletter.

For more information on the 14th National Conference on Problem Gambling to be held in Philadelphia October 6-8, contact the NCPG office 202-547-9204.