Warnings suggested for lottery tickets

NOVA SCOTIA – As reported by CBC News: "Imagine buying a lottery ticket stamped with the words: ;Warning: Gambling can lead to a dangerous addiction that can harm your relationships, work and finances.'

"Far-fetched? Perhaps not. An addictions expert at Dalhousie University in Halifax has called on the federal government to put some sort of warning labels on lottery tickets, similar to the ones on tobacco products.

"Christiane Poulin, who holds a Canada Research Chair in population health and addiction at the university, argues that gambling is just as addictive as smoking.

"Poulin, who makes the recommendation in the Nov. 7 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, says lottery tickets should be sold in plain packaging and carry warnings about the dangers of gambling addiction.

"…Poulin says a small proportion of the population — about two per cent — is susceptible to developing a serious gambling addiction…"