BE OUR GUEST: GAMBLING: LET'S NOT VOTE FOR SOMETHING RISKING DOWNFALL OF NEIGHBOR OR OURSELVES

Dr. Richard A. Martin has ben an otolaryngologist in Cape Girardeau since 1978. He graduated from the University of Nebraska's medical school with an internship in general surgery in California and with three years of head and neck surgery in Nebraska. He also spent two years in the U.S. Army.

The City Council has allowed us, the public, to consider by virtue of city vote the proposition to allow riverboat gambling in Cape Girardeau. A recent computer search through the national medical computer systems of the subject of "gambling" brought out some facts that should be considered by all of us.

Numerous articles, primarily in the psychiatric literature, on pathologic problem and pathologic gambling have come to the forefront as the consequences of legalization of gambling in the states of New York~, New Jersey~ and Maryland.

Pathological gambling was first included as a diagnosable mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association in 198~0. The disorder is defined as "a chronic and progressive failure to resist impulses to gamble."

The diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis include the following seven items:

1) preoccupation with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences~, handicapping, or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble),

2) needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement,

3~ restlessness or irritability when attempting to cut down or stop gambling,

4) gambling as a way of escaping from problems or relieving dysphoric moods (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression),

5) after losing money gambling, often returns another day in order to get even (chasing one's losses),

6) lies to family members or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling,

7) commits illegal acts, such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement in order to finance gambling,

8) jeopardizes or loses a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of gambling,

9) relies on others (or institutions) to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation produced by gambling.

10) making repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling.

The definition of a "problem" gambler is an individual with 3 or 4 of the characteristics listed above. The "pathologic gambler" is an individual with 5 or more of these characteristics. Presently, there are public and private programs offering treatment for pathologic gamblers in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. According to several surveys taken in these states, the incidence of problem gamblers is 2.8~ percent of the general population. Whereas, pathologic gamblers make up 1.4 percent for a total of 4.2%~, or roughly 1 in 25 people.

The pathologic gambler goes through first the winning phase, characterized by a high that apparently approaches that of stimulant drugs, then a losing phase where a progressive depression sets in fed by anger and leading to the last phase~ the desperation phase in which the individual is willing to commit fraud, embezzlement or forgery to win back what he has lost. Roughly 1 out of 75 people of the general population has the potential for literal self-destruction, i.e., loss of family, friends, bankruptcy, loss of jobs, all due to the pathologic fixation of gambling.

Dr. Sirgay Sanger, child psychiatrist, who is president of the National Council on Compulsive Gambling, states:

"When the gambler enters the desperation phase and begins to chase his losses, he is ready to sell his daughter's graduation dress or steal from his mother's retirement fund to get money to gamble. Often, he's very angry and thinks that he must gamble to force people to give his money back."

In New Jersey last year, 200,000 students were turned away from casinos and 32,000 were expelled from the casinos. (It is theoretically illegal for a person 18 years old or younger to enter the casino.) In a recent survey of 892 Jersey City high school students, 5.7 percent showed clear signs of pathologic gambling (1 times higher than the adult population). Although younger gamblers have a high incidence of pathologic signs, they apparently have a lesser ability to recognize or less of a willingness to admit that they have a problem. Almost all the kids started with the Lotto where age controls are nonexistent. The pathologic signs index was found to be correlated with parental gambling problems, grade average, and the extent of gambling by the student.

As we consider the economic impact of the question of riverboat gambling, we need to consider the potential cost to society. Even with the promise of strict regulation, the seeds that are planted by the lottery, bingo, and other forms of games of chance, are going to affect some people in a very pathologic manner. Admittedly, the recreational aspects of such games are well known and well understood. The ultimate cost for some, however, will be astronomical and the further deterioration of the family and the core of society will continue with the addition of riverboat gambling.

Those who participate are sending a clear message to our young people who seem to be at higher risk. Ultimately, the money, the time, the talent, that is expended will be far most costly than any immediate profit appreciated by individuals or by the city.

It seems that we could be better stewards of our time, our talents, and our money than to waste it away in such a frivolous manner. We need to focus on other more profitable and more product oriented subjects such as our children, our schools, care for the elderly and the indigent.

If another city up the river wants to attract the pathologic gamblers of Cape Girardeau, so be it, but let us not vote for something that risks the downfall of our neighbor or ourselves.