Wood County Prevention Coalition
Uniting For A Drug-Free Community Since 2004
Critics fear surge in gambling addiction after court ruling
New York Post By Nolan Hicks and Carl Campanile
May 14, 2018
The Supreme Court’s Monday decision to strike down the national ban on sports bettingcould lead to a spike in gambling addiction, treatment advocates and gaming critics fear.
There are currently an estimated 3 to 5 million gambling addicts nationwide — and one group described Monday’s ruling as potentially the largest expansion of legalized gambling in the country’s history.
“There is going to be a lot more gambling,” said critic Richard Daynard, a law professor at Northeastern University, who runs Public Health Advocacy Institute. “What the Supreme Court has done is to facilitate expanding gambling basically to everybody’s desktop.”
It’s a fear echoed by officials at a top treatment advocacy group on Monday.
“(T)he expansion of legalized sports gambling in the United States will likely increase gambling participation and gambling problems unless steps are taken to minimize harm,” said Marlene Warner, the president of the National Council on Problem Gambling’s board of directors, which is calling on regulators and sports leagues to use the new revenues to help combat the problem. “Any governmental body and sports league that receives a direct percentage or portion of sports betting revenue must also dedicate funds to prevent and treat gambling problems.”
The NCPG fears a dramatic expansion could put new strain on efforts to help addicts. While Connecticut, New York and New Jersey all have assistance programs, other parts of the country aren’t as well equipped.
“Right now, the safety net is already tattered and this massive expansion may rip it apart,” said Keith Whyte, the NCPG’s executive director. “We need to treat this as a national public health issue and that’s what we haven’t done yet.”
The state’s Catholic Church also expressed “grave concerns” about legalizing sports betting.
“We always caution the state against any expansion of gambling,” said Dennis Proust, spokesman for the New York State Catholic Conference. “We have concerns when government looks to get money from people through vice,” which he said disproportionately impacts the poor and “destroys” families.
A spokeswoman for Gamblers Anonymous declined to comment, citing the organization’s policy.
However, a leading gambling addiction expert at the University of California at Los Angeles doubted the decision would lead to a giant spike in gamblers, since unregulated betting on sports – from the Super Bowl to the NCAA basketball tournament — is already common in many places.
“It’s basically regulating a behavior that is already happening and all that revenue that’s already generated by underground sports gambling isn’t being brought back to government,” said Dr. Tim Fong, professor of psychiatry, who runs UCLA’s gambling studies program. “Johnny down the street doesn’t pay taxes on that.”
People taking medication to treat opioid addiction face stigma that they're not 'fully recovered'
by Courtenay Harris Bond, Philly.com May 10, 2018
Michele Donato, 50, began using drugs and alcohol in her teens. Eventually she turned to heroin, a habit she could not kick even after 19 stints in rehab.
Eighteen months ago, she completed her 20th try. Ever since, she has maintained her recovery, which includes daily doses of methadone.
She would like her recovery to include 12-step support groups. But that has been a struggle for Donato, who lives in the Frankford section of Philadelphia.
“I celebrated my year [of sobriety] on Oct. 13, 2017, and people were talking really bad about me, saying ‘She’s horrible,’” Donato recalled about her experience at a 12-step meeting. “People were calling me ‘Methadone Michele.’”
Michele Donato, 50, began using drugs and alcohol in her teens. Eventually she turned to heroin, a habit she could not kick even after 19 stints in rehab.
Eighteen months ago, she completed her 20th try. Ever since, she has maintained her recovery, which includes daily doses of methadone.
She would like her recovery to include 12-step support groups. But that has been a struggle for Donato, who lives in the Frankford section of Philadelphia.
“I celebrated my year [of sobriety] on Oct. 13, 2017, and people were talking really bad about me, saying ‘She’s horrible,’” Donato recalled about her experience at a 12-step meeting. “People were calling me ‘Methadone Michele.’"
David Barclay, medical director of Prevention Point Philadelphia, hears this bias against medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, from his own patients, even though he puts them on Suboxone to help maintain their sobriety.
He says he has patients who believe they aren’t “clean” because they’re on MAT – even though this is the type of treatment with the strongest track record of success, numerous medical studies have established.
The problem: Some people still can’t accept the idea of using drugs to get off drugs, even though recovery medicines used as directed do not help patients get high. Rather, they ease symptoms such as cravings.
Fed up with the stigma against MAT, Megan McAllister, a certified recovery specialist at Prevention Point, recently started a 12-step meeting for people on methadone, buprenorphine or naltrexone, the three primary drugs prescribed for opioid recovery.
“The whole thing with 12 steps is, the desire to stop using is the only requirement,” said McAllister, who is in recovery for opioid use disorder. “And so who is anyone to judge us just because we’re on a medication? We have every right to do our recovery whichever way we want to, and if going to 12-step meetings helps, then so be it.”
Guest Column: Is alcohol at graduation parties a rite of passage?
It's that time of year again. Weld County teens will attend graduation ceremonies and parties. It's an exciting time for young people and their families, as teens close one very important chapter of their lives and prepare for the future.
Many teens and too many parents seem to think it's OK for teens to drink alcohol at a graduation party. In fact, many view it as a rite of passage, especially since many parents did so when they were teens. However, there is a lot more research about alcohol and its impact on developing teen brains today than there used to be. We now know alcohol has negative impacts on young brains until age 25, and youth who begin drinking alcohol in their teens statistically go on to experience problems with alcohol as adults.
Here are a few important facts to remember:
» If teens drink alcohol or use marijuana at a party, they can be arrested. If convicted, it is on their permanent record.
» If teens drink alcohol or use marijuana on your property — with or without your consent — YOU can be arrested.
» Alcohol can permanently damage teenage brains.
» When teens drink alcohol, there is a higher risk of sexual assault and unwanted pregnancies.
» If kids use marijuana or alcohol and drive, they could get a DUI or a drugged driving arrest. The average cost of a DUI is more than $10,000.
» Teens put their lives at risk if they drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol or ride with someone else who has. If they have had alcohol or drugs at your home, and get in an accident as a result, YOU can be held financially responsible in a civil lawsuit.
» If a teen is convicted for driving under the influence, there are certain careers no longer open to them, like law enforcement, transportation and even some health care careers.
Graduation season is a time when some teens first begin consuming alcohol. That makes it a great time for you to have conversations with your teen. Share your expectations, rules and consequences with them. It's also wise to talk to family members and friends and let them know it's not acceptable for them to serve alcohol to your teen, even if they're at a graduation celebration.
Let your kids know if they make a mistake and end up drinking, they must not compound their error by attempting to drive, anyway. Let them know you will come and get them or arrange a ride home. They don't want to be taking a ride in the back of a police car — or an ambulance.
Graduation can be the beginning of an exciting new chapter for your teen and family. Please remind your kids to be cautious and make wise decisions about alcohol and drugs. After all, you want their future to be bright and filled with opportunities, not regrets and sorrows.
A Community Conversation: Replacement or Recovery?
About Us
Our Vision: Helping youth be drug-free, productive and responsible citizens.
Our Mission: We are a coalition of compassionate community members working together to coordinate high quality programs for the prevention of youth substance abuse in Wood County.
Email: mkarna@wcesc.org
Website: wcprevention.org
Location: 1867 Research Drive, Bowling Green, OH, United States
Phone: (419)-354-9010
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPCoalition
Twitter: @woodpccoalition