The Latest News from Our Field

New research suggests playing with dogs can improve the mood of teens being treated for drug or alcohol abuse in a residential treatment center. Dog therapy may help stimulate the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine in the brain, the researchers say.

Low doses of the active ingredient in marijuana appear to stop some forms of brain damage in mice, an Israeli researcher has found.

The new head of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products said he will soon start ruling on whether the agency will approve 4,000 new and existing products.

Teens who are cyberbullied are more likely than their peers who are not harassed online or through cell phone messages to develop symptoms of substance abuse, depression and Internet addiction, a new study concludes.

Sales of Monster Energy rose 9 percent in April and May compared with a year ago, despite recent headlines questioning the drink’s safety, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Two-thirds of pharmacists and 90 percent of doctors in Florida are not using the state’s prescription drug database, according to federal officials. A bill that would have required both professions to use the database failed to pass during this year’s session.

Massachusetts is likely to become the first state to require retailers to display graphic cigarette warnings at tobacco sales racks and next to cash registers, The Boston Globe reports.

Major League Baseball wants to suspend about 20 players accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, ESPN reports. The players include the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun.

A bill designed to increase the security of the prescription drug supply chain, to prevent stolen or counterfeit drugs, passed the U.S. House this week.

The boards of the Betty Ford Center and the Hazelden Foundation, two of the nation’s biggest addiction treatment providers, are considering a formal alliance, the Pioneer Press reports.

Almost two-thirds of wealthy British women consume more than three small glasses of wine daily, which is greater than the recommended health limit, a new survey suggests.

Although they make up only a small percentage of 12-step program membership, teens and young adults can benefit greatly from attending meetings for groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), according to an expert from Harvard University.

The smoking cessation drug varenicline (Chantix) shows promise in treating alcohol dependence, a new study suggests.

Employers pay almost $6,000 more annually for workers who smoke, compared with their nonsmoking colleagues, a new study finds.

A new study concludes black Americans were almost four times as likely as whites to be arrested for marijuana possession in 2010, according to The New York Times. Blacks and whites use marijuana at similar rates, the study notes.

President Obama on Monday said it is time to bring mental illness “out of the shadows.” At the National Conference on Mental Health, sponsored by the White House, Obama spoke about the stigma associated with mental illness.

A growing number of children and teenagers are being accidentally poisoned by opioids and medications for adult chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, according to a new study.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced alcohol manufacturers can place nutrition labels on beer, wine and spirits. The labels are voluntary, according to the Associated Press.

European governments should ban flavored tobacco products and require plain packaging, the European Society of Cardiology announced Friday, designated as World No Tobacco Day.

The American Cancer Society is urging New York to become the first state to ban the sale of sweet-flavored little cigars, chewing tobacco and loose tobacco in convenience stores. The group says these products are aimed at children.

A drug used to treat liver toxicity in Tylenol overdoses may be helpful in treating teens dependent on marijuana, when it is combined with behavioral therapy, according to an expert speaking at the recent American Psychiatric Association annual meeting.

Nicotine replacement therapy and antidepressants are safe and effective in helping people quit smoking, a review of studies concludes.

Smoking will no longer be allowed within 25 feet of Starbucks storefronts in the United States or Canada starting June 1, NBC Los Angeles reports.

Health groups including the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Legacy and the American Heart Association are asking several attorneys general to investigate a new ad campaign for Camel Crush cigarettes. The groups say the ads target young people.

Marijuana compounds may help control blood sugar and lower the risk of diabetes, a new study suggests. The compounds also might help users control their weight, according to Time.com.