GAMBLING DEBTS & DEATHS
Many communities have found the solution to their fiscal difficulties through legalized gambling. But an even greater number of individuals and families have paid a disproportionate price to support this gambling solution. These people become mesmerized by the potential winnings and devote themselves to the quest for the ultimate jackpot. They just need a little more money to get the winning streak started. But, more often than not, any winning streak is a short one. Some sacrifice all that they own to continue to gamble. Others sacrifice all they can borrow or steal to maintain their gambling addiction. When faced with the consequences of their sacrifices, loans, and thefts, a few commit suicide–or at least try to do so. An article by Stephen Braun of the Los Angeles Times, June of 1997 tells of a married couple from Joliet, Illinois, Carol and Skip Warriner, who took their own lives within a week of one another. In April of 1996 Carol…
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