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Show Wednesday. October 7, 1998, THi: DAILY HhRALD. Studies aim to prevent gambling absorbing advertisements By LAURA BEIL The Dallas Morning Nrws DALLAS Some teen-ager- s may be growing up to find that the odds are against them. In this case, the odds are the ones that many teens play too often. Compulsive gambling preys heaviest on the young: An estimated five to eight percent of adolescent s meet the criteria for pathological gambling, studies have found, compared with about one to three percent of adults. American youths may be gambling in part because a generation has come of age when gaming is widelv legal and is even promoted by and polite society. The amount of money bet annually in North America increased from $17.3 billion in 1974 to $586.5 billion in 1996, according to data released last December by Harvard Medical ts School. As a result of the gambling children today have spent much of their lives boom, for casinos, racetracks or lottery tickets. And, in a contrast to past generations, many of their parents have gambled. "Whenever you see a new vice, it is the adolescents that are hit hardest by it," said Dr. James Westphal of Louisiana State Medical University which lies across the Red River from the casinos and horse racing in Bossier City, La. Center-Shrevepor- t, Finding reasons Researchers Dr. like Westphal are focusing more attention on youth gambling, not only to learn the depth of the problem, but to explain why junior high and high school students want to wager. "They're kind of picking up on the whole social acceptability of gambling," said Rina Gupta, a psychologist with McGill University in Montreal, Canada, who researches youth gambling. They gamble more than they smoke, more than they do alcohol or do drugs." . For most adolescents, gambling is simply an attempt to entertain themselves and be cool. Very few go on to become problem gamblers. Yet most adults who have gambling problems say they took up the practice at a young age. Researchers are trying to identify the youths most at risk for addiction and find the best way to prevent these from growing up as servants to their habit. Gambling can be a harmless distraction for youths, Dr. Westphal said, but "a certain percentage of them will have addicted lives. That's the serious part of this." His studies of Louisiana youths have found that 5.6 percent of and 14 percent of 18- - to 21 could be considered problem Visit us online - Page www.heraldextra.com gam a fltoafep teen-ager- s sixth-throug- Pnn. I uh h 12th-grade- -- year-olds gamblers. He and his colleagues also have data suggesting that one in four juvenile offenders in Louisiana say they committed their crimes to get money to gamble. Arizona cactus sneaks into New Mexican ad By The Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. The television commercial opens with a desert scene of a majestic saguaro and the words, "New Mexico's rugged beauty." Oops. Rewind. Saguaros don't grow in New news conference Monday and reporters promptly pointed out the glaring saguaro. While the ad might have mixed its states, its content Redmond's environmental record is accurate, Green said. "The fact is Mexico. That's beauty. The Arizona's Chicago-base- d that Redmond legislation rugged ad com- pany that created the commercial for the League of Conservation Voters mistakenly used Arizona footage, said Gregory Green, a Santa Fe spokesman for the league. The ad was done for the national organization to attack the environmental record of Rep. Bill Redmond, The ad firm changed the ad Monday night to show New Mexico scenes, and it was airing starting Tuesday, Green said. Green unveiled the ad at a deny- ing us cleaner air, he actively worked against preservation of our rivers, all while taking $100,000 in campaign contributions from groups that are weakening our environment," Green said. Redmond's spokesman, Kevin McDermott, said the saguaro shows the league is an outside group with no grasp of New Mexico's issues. McDermott also said the ad is misleading. It accuses Redmond of environmental proderailing tection for New Mexico rivers by opposing efforts to have the San Juan River included as an American Heritage River. Green said the designation would have provided federal money to protect the river's environment. McDermott said it would have meant more federal control over New Mexico water and that San Juan area residents oppose the designation. The ad also blasts Redmond for voting to postpone new clean air standards for four years. Redmond has said more I Get any scientific study was needed, said Green the Protection Environmental Agency's scientists already have determined the tougher standards are needed. Green said the league was spending hundreds of thousands of dollars against Redmond, who is seeking reelection in a three-warace with Democrat Tom Udall and Green Party candidate Carol Miller in the 3rd Congressional District. during Olfer valid iKiober The 31 Days savings on the last VjW mil) M I listed glaze, crispy-swe- et tenderness and rich flavor of The Honeyliaked Ham! That's right, during the 31 days of October, any Half of October Ham THE of great Nn valid with anv other oiler White supplier o HON EYBAKCD HAM is just $31. Of course we could go for the whole j year, but $365 for 365 days just isn't practical. y &Mta.tta. Oil, no. We're talking an entire month I ihnuih 31, 1WH offer. 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