Sports Betting Problems Continue to Plague the NCAA

Gambling,

Problems related to sports betting continue to plague the NCAA.

Last month the Division I Committee on Infractions announced three former Eastern Michigan men’s basketball student-athletes did not cooperate with an investigation into potential sports betting violations. The NCAA notes the players are no longer members of the school’s basketball program.

In a statement, the NCAA said the players refused to cooperate with investigators who were notified about suspicious bets placed during Eastern Michigan’s January 14 game. Failure to cooperate in an NCAA investigation violates NCAA rules. As a result, the NCAA says investigators could not determine whether sports betting violations occurred.

We have written repeatedly about how sports betting destroys public trust and corrupts athletic programs.

The NCAA has wrestled with gambling scandals since sports betting’s legalization. Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NBA, and other sports leagues have as well.

Sports betting is now legal in 39 states — including Arkansas — and it has been a disaster for individuals and families

Arkansans wager more than a million dollars a day, on average. Last year the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council announced it has seen a 22% increase in calls for help with problem gambling — driven largely by sports betting.

Studies indicate people who gamble on sports may be twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems.

Young men are particularly hurt by sports gambling. Twenty-year-old males account for approximately 40% of calls to gambling addiction hotlines, and upwards of 20 million men are in debt or have been in debt as a result of sports betting.

And research now shows that the legalization of sports betting may be linked to serious financial problems in America — such as credit card debt, overdrafts, late payments on loans, lower credit scores, and higher bankruptcy rates.

As powerful corporations try to make gambling part of everyday life, it’s important for Arkansas to protect citizens and families from predatory gambling. Otherwise, gambling addiction will simply continue hurting innocent people in our state.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Less Than 1% of Assisted-Suicide Patients in Oregon Received a Psychiatric Evaluation Last Year

Bioethics, Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, , , ,

Data from the State of Oregon shows that last year less than 1% of patients who received a prescription for physician-assisted suicide were referred for a psychiatric evaluation.

Oregon’s 1997 “Death With Dignity Act” legalized physician-assisted suicide in the state, and since then more than 3,200 people have received prescriptions for lethal drugs.

More than 90% of the patients who asked about assisted suicide in Oregon said they were concerned about losing their autonomy because of their illness and nearly 70% expressed worries about losing their dignity. Most did not express concerns about controlling their pain.

However, doctors in Oregon rarely refer these patients for psychiatric help. Patients who are lonely and feel like they are losing control over their lives need counseling and support — not a prescription for deadly drugs.

Assisted suicide is devastating for families, and it robs patients of compassionate care.

Just like abortion, euthanasia and assisted-suicide are murder, and they violate the sanctity of human life.

Being pro-life means believing innocent human life is sacred from conception until natural death.

That’s why Family Council helped defeat a very bad bill in 2019 that would have let doctors prescribe lethal drugs to patients in Arkansas and two bad end-of-life bills in 2021. These were flawed measures that fundamentally disrespected the right to life.

You can read assisted suicide data from the Oregon Health Authority here.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Teens Who Use Marijuana Suffer Later in Life: New Study

Marijuana

Researchers say teens who use marijuana may be more likely to develop health problems in adulthood.

The study published in JAMA Network Open looked at health data from 1,591 individuals.

Researchers found adolescents who started using marijuana before age 15 and who used it frequently were at greater risk of needing physical and mental medical care in young adulthood, compared to those who did not use marijuana.

Adolescents who used marijuana later also faced greater risk of needing medical care for physical health conditions.

A growing body of research shows that marijuana is harmful regardless of how or why people use it.

Researchers have raised concerns about the number of teens struggling with cannabis-induced mental disorders.

Heavy marijuana use is linked to paranoia, schizophrenia, self-harm, and other serious problems.

Marijuana has been tied to an increased risk for diabetes and a number of deadly heart problems — including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

Researchers now say marijuana use doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease. 

Experts also have found heavy marijuana use is strongly linked to a 325% increased risk of oral cancer.

In Arkansas, marijuana industry insiders worked unsuccessfully to expand marijuana via the state’s ballot initiative process in 2022 and 2024. Fortunately, neither of those bad measures passed.

All of this underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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