The national addiction no one seems to worry about

AS a nation we are prone to addiction. We have long struggled with our dependence on alcohol and all of the ills it has wreaked upon our society.

In recent weeks the damage that drug addiction is doing to lives has been highlighted in the media.

I believe, however, that we have another growing addiction, and that is gambling.

Listen carefully to any of our pop radio shows and you will soon realise how much gambling is seeping in under the guise of entertainment.

Whenever there is chat on the radio about TV soaps, reality TV shows and the like, we are likely to be informed of the odds on a certain storyline unfolding, who will be evicted from the house or who will qualify for the next round of the talent search.

Sports headlines, too, are full of odds on all kinds of issues, for example, who will be the next Irish football manager. I wonder if the bookies are sponsoring our radio shows?

And if they are, is this ethical?

As well as being bombarded by radio, (and maybe as a result of it), I notice a growing trend in gambling among our youth.

Poker has become hugely popular with teenagers.

Did you notice the widespread availability of poker chip sets in the shops before Christmas? Nothing wrong with poker — it’s a game of skill and chance — but being exposed to gambling at such an early age is cause for great concern.

Not alone that, but there is evidence of an increase in the number of betting shops in our cities and towns.

These are easily accessible to teenagers, and I worry that underage betting may be going on unknown to parents or the authorities.

We adults are not without blame, as we openly gamble on the Lotto without thinking about the messages we are giving to our children.

We have lost the battle against alcohol and drug addiction and our health and social services are completely overstretched trying to cope with the fallout.

While gambling addiction may not be as evident, it can be just as devastating on the lives of addicts and their families. If something isn’t done now to raise awareness of this danger, we will see the negative results within 10 years.

It is not for the ordinary citizen to develop policy or strategy to prevent this problem spiralling out of control.

Our legislators, health professionals and educators must act immediately on this issue before it is too late (again).

Margaret McCarthy

Kenley

Model Farm Road

Cork