Issues to Consider

Unfortunately still unsure of what issue I wish to follow, so have been doing a bit of research on a few. I need to find something controversial which I am also hopefully fairly passionate about. I've been looking into the following issues but have no quite settled on any one in particular :S

• Abortion Rights
• Domestic Violence
• Gambling
• Population - Populate or Perish
• Suicide
• Teenage Pregnancy
• Women's Rights

One of these that I thought was a bit different was "Gambling" which I'd say could come under the 'economy' heading as it results in both financial gain and loss for individuals, groups and companies.

"While approximately 80% of High School students report having gambled for money during the past year, 4-8% of adolescents presently have a serious gambling problem with another 10-14% of adolescents at-risk for developing a serious gambling problem. Yet, for most parents and teens, gambling is viewed as an innocuous behaviour with few negative consequences."

(Information from Youth Gambling website.)

Whilst a fair amount of information is aimed against gambling there are also arguments to promote the benefits of gambling. The following companies are for or against gambling:

PRO
American Greyhound Track Operators Association
National Congress of American Indians
CON
International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors
National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling

An online article I read recently titled "Legacy of Luck" (found here) which discuss the politic and economic dependence some places have on gambling and the money it brings in.

"Many people view gambling—and legalized gambling in particular—as little more than harmless personal entertainment. Not everyone agrees, of course. In fact, “governments become addicted to gambling every bit as much as people do,” says one opponent. How big a problem is legalized gambling?"

The following pie chart comes from the Tasmanian Gambling Prevalence Study in 2005. This company's aim is to determine the prevalence of people experience gambling-related problems or at risk of experiencing such problems:

The graph shows that whilst a high percentage (70.80%) are NOT at risk they are still taking part in gambling activities, and gambling being a potential addictive activity would mean that any users could be at risk if they increased their interest in gambling.

The arguments that are PRO gambling discuss its economy benefits to society and those against discuss the many risks and problems related to the addictive properties of gambling. I however feel more passionate about the arguments against gambling, specifically in the problems associated with the effects on youth, either directly through their own addiction or when family members have problems and the financial strains related.