Meth Mouth
Few methamphetamine users fit the stereotype of the gaunt, twitchy addict. Some users take the drug in plush offices or lavish houses. Some wear suits
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Alcohol Abuse
What is alcohol abuse? Many people enjoy drinking alcohol in social settings or to relax. But sometimes people may find they’re drinking too much. And
12-Step Programs
What are 12-step programs? Since 1935 — the year that Alcoholics Anonymous was founded — millions of people have turned to 12-step programs to help
Seniors and Gambling
When does gambling become a problem? Gambling can be a fun diversion for adults of any age. Many people enjoy going to the horse races,
Seniors and Substance Abuse
Is substance abuse a problem among seniors? While the nation wages war on marijuana, cocaine, and other street drugs, roughly one out of five seniors
Seniors and Alcohol Abuse
If you’re over 60, you may use alcohol in much the way you did when you were younger. You may have a glass of wine
Sexual Compulsion and Sex Addiction
In the 2005 mock documentary “I Am a Sex Addict,” the protagonist sits dolefully in an anonymous 12-step meeting for people “addicted” to sex. He’s
Quiz: How Do You Know About Smoking Complications?
The hazards of smoking go far beyond lung cancer and heart disease. In fact, it would take microscopic print to list every potential warning on
Smoking Is Hazardous to Your (Digestive) Health
Smokers with digestive trouble often blame their diet, stress, bad luck — anything but their cigarettes. After all, the stomach is a long way from
Smoking Cessation Groups
Okay, so the nicotine patches and gum didn’t work. Somebody suggests hypnosis, but having someone experiment with your brain doesn’t sound appealing right now. Maybe
How We Quit
They say that cigarettes can be harder to kick than heroin. From what we hear that’s true and then some. Because it’s so difficult but
The Real Hazards of Chewing Tobacco and Snuff
What’s the difference between chewing and spit (or snuff) tobacco? Chewing tobacco (“chaw”) is usually sold as leaf tobacco, and users place a large wad
Smoking and Lung Cancer
Linking cigarettes and cancer In the early 1960s, researchers at Brown and Williamson, one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, made a sickening discovery: Smoking
Smoking and Pregnancy
You probably know that drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects in your unborn child. But do you know what smoking during pregnancy can do?
Smoking: Ways to Quit for Good
Why should I quit smoking? Because it could save your life. They don’t call cigarettes “cancer sticks” and “coffin nails” for nothing. When you smoke,
The Risks of Cigars
As any cigar lover will tell you, cigars and cigarettes are in two different leagues. Cigarettes come with a warning label; cigars come with a
Pipe Smoking
Albert Einstein once remarked that pipe smoking “contributed to a somewhat calm and objective judgment in all human affairs.” Whether the observation is true or
Secondhand Smoke
Most cigarette smokers know the dangers of tobacco. After all, the Surgeon General stamps a warning right on the pack. But what about the people
Teen Smokers
Like many heavy smokers, Steven “Bubba” Ash* wanted to quit. “It’s messing up my whole life,” he told me. In addition to draining his finances,
Teen Crusaders
Ray Lader used to be an ideal customer for the tobacco companies: He was 12-years-old, loyal to his brand, and addicted. But within a few