Treatment not prohibition, says US gambling addiction expert

Categories

Addiction Treatment
Alcohol
Drugs
Gambling
In the papers
On TV

News Archive

Home » News » Gambling » Treatment not prohibition, says US gambling addiction expert

by Change | 21 Sep 2009

Bookmark

E-mail

Individuals who have become addicted to gambling must be given the correct treatment instead of being made into criminals, an expert has argued.

An expert has commented that treatment is better than prohibition at defeating gambling addiction.

Addiction expert Joanna Franklin, president of the Baltimore Institute for Problem Gambling, said that individuals who have become addicted to gambling should not be demonised, but should be provided with adequate addiction recovery clinics.

"Treatment, not prohibition, is the best way to treat problem gamblers," Ms Franklin said.

"Problem gamblers are not without options - they will go to a racetrack or casino or the internet if they can't find a video gaming machine," she added.

A recent study from Psychological Medicine magazine found that 2.6 per cent of the American population has a problem with gambling.

The passing of the Illinois Video Gaming Act on July 13th this year saw $2.5 million (£1.55 million) allocated to the Department of Human Resources for addiction treatment Programs.

Joanna Franklin has provided addiction training in 42 US states, nine Canadian provinces and 15 South American countries, the Baltimore Institute for Problem Gambling website notes.

Bookmark this: