Eight university students found themselves in deep trouble in early June in the tourist city of Taian, Shandong province, when they were *detained by local police for gambling over poker in a local hotel. The students, who traveled to Taian to climb Taishan Mountain, played poker after drinking at their hotel, betting on 1-yuan stakes. As punishment, they were detained for 15 days by Taian police and fined 3,000 yuan each. After the news of the students’ misadventure hit the press, many commentators said the *penalties were too *harsh, and young people gambling over such small stakes don’t deserve such punishment. Critics of the local police say the *excessive punishment is unnecessary and could have a devastating effect on the students’ futures. In reality, police often let such minor cases go with just a verbal warning. Supporters, however, insist that any acts that break the law must be dealt with in strict accordance with the law, and that a relatively light punishment such as this could serve as a severe reminder for the students to keep away from gambling in the future. Just because the *perpetrators are college students doesn’t mean they should be given any *lenience in the *enforcement of the law.