Second Article Review (Teenage Issues):
Youth Gambling: Nipping it in the bud
Source: The Straits Times YOUTHInk , 16 February 2007;
Newslink - "Youth gambling: Nipping it in the bud"
It’s Chinese New Year again. A festive season in which people eat, drink and have fun. Yes, it’s the time when people gamble and play card games with money again. Have you ever enjoyed the thrill of winning, or the bitterness of losing money before? If so, I think it’s a good time to stop in this Year of the Pig.
In the article, they state that many people started gambling at the age of 18 to 24 and in my opinion, that’s a great cause for worry. I’m very sure that we would definitely not want to breed more and more problem gamblers in our society, especially when the Integrated Resorts are going to be completed. To what I think, preventing teenagers from falling into the trap of gambling is extremely important and that parents must play a part to make this happen.
As a teenager, I must applaud the move from the Government in wanting to nip the problem of youth gambling “in the bud” through “interactive” and fun methods. It’s very important to be able to put across points and engage us so as to generate fruitful discussions and give us great insights about the problems of gambling.
Perhaps, having a serial drama about the minuses of gambling and show how it actually destroys people’s future, or having interesting and eye-catching advertisements to dissuade people from gambling broadcasted through the mass media could be good ways to educate the general public in Singapore.
However, the onus is still on us, no matter how much others may persuade or advise us, to know the faults of gambling and understand the importance of not starting it ourselves. It’s our responsibility to do our part for the better of this society.
Apart from that, I think the availability of help to those gambling addicts is undeniably very important. Imagine yourself being ostracized by your family and friends, when you are having a problem from controlling yourself. Lost and despair are what they feel, and because of this, some of them find no meaning in turning back or even living.
By giving counseling and a helping hand to those people, not only teenagers, who are having problems, many of them can be saved from this abyss of pain and suffering. I may not be the one who have these problems, but I’ve seen many families being torn apart because of this sinful addiction. It would be very sad to see many people suffer in the future because of us not being able to prevent more from falling into this vicious cycle.
Gambling is a game. A game that have been proven to make nobody win, but everybody to lose. It is an indulgence that people shouldn’t take to and a thing that teenagers should never even have the thought of starting. In my opinion, now is a good time for us to consider and examine more ways to prevent gambling in our society.
What’s your take on this then?
Labels: English Blog Article
