In my opinion, this policy sends a bad message to society. Children may think that gambling is acceptable and will be eager to bet on horses and engage in other gambling activities.

The gambling problem among teenagers will become more serious. According to a survey, about 50 per cent of all gamblers are below the age of 20.

Gambling is not a cool thing to do. People may lose their career and family - or even their lives - because of this bad habit.

You will almost certainly lose more than you win.

Cindy Lo, Leung Shek Chee College

Face problems with confidence

We need to learn from our bad experiences in order not to make the same mistake again.

I believe that every unfortunate incident provides a valuable lesson for us. We should trust ourselves and distinguish right from wrong.

When we come across difficulties, we should believe in our ability and try our best to tackle them. After we have solved those problems, we will be pleased. We should face life with confidence. Be proud of yourself and be happy!

Ben Lo, Hang Seng School of Commerce

Don't let HSI control your life

The Hang Seng Index (HSI) rebounded after dropping thousands of points recently. It hit record highs last month.

Many Hongkongers have invested a lot of money in the stock market.

But I believe they shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket because buying shares involves high risk.

If share prices drop drastically, they will suffer huge losses.

I suggest that we manage our money carefully, without investing too much in the stock market. People who pour money into the stock market will always be worried about the share prices.

Their lives should not be controlled by the HSI.

Hongkongers, please relax and enjoy your life.

Betty Tam, Pentecostal Lam Hon Kwong School

Choose right job

I think we should choose a job that we are interested in.

Salary and career prospects are not so important.

How would you feel if you have to carry out boring tasks every day?

I am sure nobody would like to have such a job.

On the contrary, if you are devoted to your work, you will be happier and more successful.

So you should always select a career that suits your interests.

Terence

Need to eliminate medical blunders

I'm writing in response to the editorial 'The action to take on medical blunders' (South China Morning Post, September 7).

I agree that there is no excuse for medical blunders.

A doctor who makes a mistake is responsible for his or her actions.

Being professionals, doctors should make sure that there are no mistakes.

You may say that we cannot blame the doctors who are overworked. But this is not an excuse as they can decide whether they are able to handle the workload.

The number of medical blunders has increased in recent years.

For example, a doctor at Prince of Wales hospital made a fatal medical blunder when a cancer patient received an injection of a drug in the spine instead of in a vein.

More cases can be found in Britain where 23 doctors were prosecuted.

There are many shortcomings in Hong Kong's health system. It is difficult to find out who is responsible for the mistakes - is it the staff or the faulty system?

I believe that action should be taken immediately, especially with regard to doctors' working hours.

Otherwise, more tragedies will occur.

Mandy Ng Yuen-ting, St Rose of Lima's College

Top teacher

My favourite teacher is Mrs Lau who is kind and helpful. She is also young and beautiful and taught me maths in Form One. She is a really good teacher and very popular, too.

Mrs Lau takes our computer lessons these days. I hope we have more of those lessons because they are so interesting.

We write to her every week and put the letters in her mail box. I usually include my secrets in the letters. I trust her so much.

She is a wonderful teacher.

Joyce Lau

Tough decision

Euthanasia is a hot topic in our society. Most people do not accept euthanasia, which is against the law.

I can understand why people reject 'mercy killing', but we should consider the feelings of others. They could have better luck in their next life.

This should be considered when people discuss euthanasia.

Mariel Ho, Marymount Secondary School

National pride

Some young people in Hong Kong are not very proud of their motherland.

Colonial rule and incidents, such as the Tiananmen Square crackdown, may have led to their attitude.

But there is still hope. China is becoming stronger and its influence is growing. As China changes, we will change, too.

Melody Chan, Marymount Secondary School