Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse wants to know how exercise can help prevent drug or alcohol abuse. The possible connection was first brought to her attention through a study that reported that teens and tweens who exercised were half as likely to smoke and 40 percent less likely to try marijuana than were their sedentary peers.

"The best evidence: Brown University took smokers to the gym three times a week and found adding the exercise to a smoking-cessation program doubled women's chances of successfully kicking the habit."

Volkow invited 100 exercise and neurobiology experts to a two-day conference where she announced that a $4 million research grant was being made available for further research. Though it has yet to be proved, initial studies show that the benefits of exercise extend beyond physical health and appearance. Source: Associated Press

Labels: addictions, exercise, prevention