In the age of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, peer pressure can take on a whole new meaning. Kids might be influenced by friends at school and social events — or by what they see posted online.

It’s not exactly a surprise to hear that some teens may drink, smoke or use drugs. But the sheer number of teens engaging in these behaviors may be a bit of a shock.

Cigarette taxes have been thought to play a part in reducing smoking. But as taxes on cigarettes have gone up, many male smokers in the US have also chosen to cut back on their alcohol intake as well. 

Aging is a fact of life, but you may have some control over how quickly it happens. Turns out heavy drinking and smoking may speed up aging of the mind. 

When it comes to smoking, teens have been making better choices recently than in years past. Since most smokers start when they’re teens, this decline points to healthy futures.

A prescription used to help people quit smoking may also help people with alcohol dependence. The medication had side effects, but the benefits may outweigh the negatives.

Parents may feel that what they say to their kids goes in one ear and out the other. But parents may have more influence than they think when it comes to talking with their teens about alcohol and drug use.

Movie characters haven’t been smoking on the silver screen nearly as much as they used to. They have been drinking beer though, and more and more of it every year.

Smoking can make people look like an older person, but can it make people think like an older person? Alcoholics that also smoke may be prematurely aging their brains.  

If you're treating a teen for mental health, it's important to understand the big picture. The big picture includes how much they drink, smoke or use marijuana.