Poker is Good for You

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Don't forget that poker can be addictive and is an addiction to many people. This is a big reason why 'they' want to ban poker

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Banning something because it can be addictive to a small number of people is silly.

Should alcohol be banned because some people choose to misuse it/abuse it?

And why would it be a better idea to ban poker than cigarettes, which are also addictive, but cost many people their lives and not just some poker chips?

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Actually, I would make the case that if any one substance should be banned, then it should be alcohol. I worked in a rescue mission for 12 years, and just from that small sample, which you can extend to an awful lot of friends and family members that are affected, alcohol definitely has a negative affect on more than a few people.

Some of the effects are obvious and intuitive, such as drunk drivers, lost jobs, and broken homes(often including domestic violence). But there are other, less obvious costs both to individuals and society.

I saw a television show on one of the big three networks where an ER doctor was asked what percentage of what he sees in the ER is alcohol-related. Without hesitation, he said 50%.

He gave as a typical example someone who is treated for a broken arm, when the cause is the person getting drunk and falling down the stairs.

To put it another way, 50% of the cost of running an ER, and who knows what percentage of other health care costs, is devoted to alcohol

If we are going to talk about which habit or addiction is worse, it's alcohol. Nothing else comes close.