Health and Fitness : Lottery Tickets should be sent to P.O. Box 7 not given to the children

ASAC requested that the following news release should be run before Christmas. The idea is to encourage adults NOT to give lottery tickets to children for the holidays. It might encourage children to gamble.

In case you have purchased them for the kids, feel free to forward them to Vinton Today, and I'll be sure to keep them out of the hands of your children.

In all seriousness...here's the press release...

The Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) has partnered with National Council on Problem Gambling, McGill University, and the Iowa Department of Public Health to promote the message of responsible gifting this holiday season.

The Holiday Lottery Responsible Gambling Campaign is an international campaign designed to raise awareness and remind parents and family members of the risks of underage lottery play.

Lottery tickets may seem like an innocent gift or stocking stuffer, but research shows that early gambling experiences increase the risk of youth developing a problem with gambling later in life. With that being said, the holiday season is an important time to remind one another of the importance of responsible gifting! Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are encouraged to share this information with one another and take an active role in reducing potential future problems by purchasing age-appropriate gifts!

To learn more about the campaign and problem gambling prevention services in your community, contact prevention@asac.us or call 319-390-4611. Free and confidential support and assistance is available by calling 1-800-BETS-OFF, by texting 1-855-895-8398, or through live chat at yourlifeiowa.org. More information about the campaign can be found at www.ncpgambling.org/holiday or by visiting ASAC on Facebook.