PokÉmon ­ Is it right for your family?
by Sheri Wallace

Pokémon

Tucson child psychologist and author Dr. Kevin Leman disagrees. "Although it seems innocuous, it can lead to some problems such as long term gambling. I have decided not to allow the cards and games in my house. When I investigated Pokémon beyond the obvious, I didn't like what I found."

Dr. Leman is not alone. E!Online (www.eonline.com) is currently running a feature story on the dangers of Pokémon. The story blasts Wizards of the Coast, the maker of the trading cards for marketing such an addictive game to children. It also lists the violence inherent to the video game and the cruelty to animals involved in keeping the Pokémons in a little cage only to fight battle after battle.

So what are parents to do? Dr. Freda Harper, a Tucson psychologist and grand-mother, suggests that parents take an active role in whatever their children are involved in.