'Problem Gambling' is Popular Putnam Pastime
by Eric Gross

Teenagers across Putnam County are gambling more today than ever before. In fact, gambling is even more prominent among the county's youth than the use of alcohol, marijuana, and/or cigarettes.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies of Putnam (NCADD) received a $60,000 grant to implement what the organization's executive director Kristin Cafiero described as "innovative 'problem-gambling' strategies" by creating a local community coalition to address the problem.

The information was released last week as part of the 2008 Prevention Needs Assessment Survey—a joint effort of the Putnam County Youth Bureau, Putnam Family and Community Services, and the National Council on Alcoholism.

Putnam's Director of Mental Health and Youth Services Joseph DeMarzo told the PCN&R that 4,990 teens took the surveys, which he described as a wide county sampling—covering children attending the Brewster, Carmel, and Mahopac school systems as well as Putnam Valley, Haldane, and Garrison.

Eighth through twelfth graders were surveyed. The results indicate that alcohol use dropped by 4 percent since the first survey was compiled in 2005, while cigarette smoking declined by 3 percent and marijuana usage dropped by 4 percent among the young.

It was the issue of gambling that posed a major concern among county youth leaders. Janine Cunningham, the county's deputy Youth Director, called the 60 percent admission that Putnam teens are gambling on a regular basis—including 11 percent involved online gambling— as extremely disconcerting. "Kids have no business gambling online or going to a casino or a horse racing track. This is a real eye opener," she said.

Cafiero said 40 percent of the youth surveyed admitted betting on cards, with 30 percent admitting betting on sports within the past year.

Cafiero noted that problem gambling involvement among NY State adolescents correlates with alcohol and marijuana use: "Weekly gamblers are more likely than less-frequent gamblers to have gotten into trouble in the past year because of their alcohol or drug use."

Ana Sanchez, a senior at Mahopac High School, said she was aware of many students who bet on such games as Polka Star and Polka World: "You can bet thousands of dollars in a short time. I know people like that. Gambling is present and is common in high school."

In light of the findings, the council established a problemgambling prevention specialist position, coordinated by Juliette Doyle. Doyle began working this week with county agencies and local schools to provide education, training, and resources to identify what she called the "at-risk population" and "addressing issues of help and hope."

The student survey was designed to assess adolescent substance abuse, anti-social behavior, and risk and protective factors that predict adolescent problem behaviors.

Protective factors—those activities and conditions that help young people to avoid getting into trouble—were also evaluated. The Risk and Protective Factor Model of Prevention is based on the premise that to prevent a problem from occurring, the factors that increase the risk of that problem developing must be addressed.

DeMarzo said, "researchers have defined a set of risk factors for youth problem behaviors." Risk factors are more likely to lead to drug use, delinquency, school dropouts, teen pregnancy, and violent behavior.

DeMarzo said one of the interesting conclusions of the survey was that "risky behaviors are risky behaviors. Whether a teen trades off gambling for substance abuse or alcohol, addictions are addictions . . . Obsessions [can] lead to other cravings." Kids need to be encouraged to become more and more involved with positive youth development activities by being kept away from those behaviors that can steamroll, and someday become a major addiction."

Cafiero suggested that anyone in need of guidance or assistance relating to adolescent drinking or gambling should call her office at 225- 4646. Information for problem gambling is also available by calling a New York State hotline at 1-877-8-HOPENY.