Behavioral Health

  • Read more: A Nation Addicted to Sports Gambling (Pt. 2)
    Article

    A Nation Addicted to Sports Gambling (Pt. 2)

    As many as one in four Americans will place a bet on this year’s March Madness tournament. For some, it will be the first time they place a bet using a user-friendly, totally legal, app on their phone. Companies like FanDuel and DraftKings often run “risk-free” promotions for first-time bettors.

  • Read more: Marching Toward Gambling Madness (Pt. 1)
    Article

    Marching Toward Gambling Madness (Pt. 1)

    It’s time to fill your bracket and brush up on your ball-knowledge: March Madness is here. The iconic college basketball tournament has been a staple of the sports calendar for nearly a century, but the stakes of this year’s tournament are higher than ever before.

  • Read more: Measures for Recreational Marijuana Failed in Three States: a Win for Public Health
    Article

    Measures for Recreational Marijuana Failed in Three States: a Win for Public Health

    by Katherine Drabiak The Outcome of Recreational Marijuana Ballot Measures Recreational marijuana was on the ballot in three states — Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota. None of these three measures passed. Currently, 38 states and Washington D.C. allow medical marijuana, and 24 states and D.C. allow recreational marijuana. Marijuana is still classified as a…

  • Read more: TikTok, Tobacco, and Addiction, Oh My!
    Article

    TikTok, Tobacco, and Addiction, Oh My!

    By Jessica Samuels On October 8, 13 states and the District of Columbia sued TikTok, alleging that the social media company’s algorithm is designed to “promote excessive, compulsive, and addictive use” in children. While each state’s complaint was filed separately in state court, the cases are coordinated around the claim that TikTok’s design is deliberately…

  • Read more: Third Places: A Framework for Communities AND Crisis Care
    Article

    Third Places: A Framework for Communities AND Crisis Care

    By Spencer Andrews What makes a city livable? The answer, some say, is more “third places,” spaces distinct from one’s home (the first place) and one’s workplace (the second place). A third place, like a café, park, or library, fosters the sense of community and connection that makes a neighborhood great to live in. This…

  • Read more: Addictive Design and Social Media: Legal Opinions and Research Roundup
    Article

    Addictive Design and Social Media: Legal Opinions and Research Roundup

    by Matthew B. Lawrence and Avraham R. Sholkoff This has been a busy year in research and regulation addressing addictive design by social media platforms, marked by advisories or initiatives from the Surgeon General, American Psychiatric Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics that spotlight public health issues related to social media. With many foundational questions…

  • Read more: Stephanie Tabashneck: An “Interpreter” Between Two Fields
    Article

    Stephanie Tabashneck: An “Interpreter” Between Two Fields

    Stephanie Tabashneck, PsyD, JD, is a Senior Fellow in Law and Applied Neuroscience at the Petrie-Flom Center and Center for Law, Brain and Behavior (CLBB) at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. A forensic psychologist and an attorney, she focuses her research, practice, and teaching on neural development in children and adolescents, substance use issues, and…