In another blow against the tobacco industry, Disney has recently decided to eliminate all depictions of smoking within their films. They also vowed to discourage smoking within films aimed toward adult audiences through Touchstone Pictures and Miramax.

Famous villains such as Cruella DeVille of 101 Dalmatians had previously used smoking to enhance their infamous personas within Disney movies. Who could forget those long, thin cigarettes that Cruella puffed away at throughout the classic film? The rings of smoke swirling around her added a mysterious, evil air to her character. Read More »

Attending college in the Northeast after growing up in a small Midwestern town nestled in the cornfields provided many “culture shocks” to say the least. One of the most memorable was the prevalence of cocaine usage among students. I was surprised to find out that cocaine was the popular drug of choice for many girls my age. Whether it was for the weight loss affects or just the appeal of staying up all night to party, I still could not grasp that people were really into this drug that seemed so hardcore to me. Aw, my little naive freshman self. How cute.

We all know about the supposed celeb cokeheads like Lindsay Lohan. I mean, a picture says a thousand words, right? But, I would venture to say that cocaine really has become a staple among college nightlife scenes. The New York Times investigates cocaine’s popularity as well and suggests that it is now much more socially accepted.

“There seems to be less of a stigma about cocaine,” said Dr. Herbert Kleber, director of the division of substance abuse at the New York State Psychiatric Institute in Manhattan…“People don’t feel nearly as much the need to hide it,” he said. “They feel that they can use it in a more open fashion.” Read More »

I can recall a specific conversation with a friend who invited me to go to a Hookah bar. “No, thanks,” I replied. “I’m not a huge fan of really smoky environments.” She looked at me like I was nuts and replied, “It’s hookah, it’s, like, more healthy, cause you are smoking it out of water.”

Hm, well I can’t say that I was ever really totally sold on the argument that any type of smoking is considered “healthy,” but now there is new research out that suggests smoking hookah can be just as harmful as cigarette smoking. And, not to sound like an anti-tobacco ad or anything, but we all know the effects of tobacco on a person.

“Using a water pipe to smoke tobacco is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking,” the U.N. health agency said in a seven-page document on the practice. “Contrary to ancient lore and popular belief, the smoke that emerges from a water pipe contains numerous toxicants known to cause lung cancer, heart disease and other diseases.” USA Today.

Read More »

If there was a magic potion I could take to rid me of my sweet tooth, I’m not going to lie, I would probably take it. The day I swear off sweets for good always somehow falls on the same day of an office party at work or someone’s birthday, aka lots of cake and sugary foods to ruin any type of healthy kick.

Apparently, the makers of Sugarest read my mind. These tablets supposedly rid you of your sugar cravings for 20-30 minutes after you place it in your mouth for a few minutes. The main ingredient causes sugary foods to lose their sweetness. Sounds like a pretty sweat deal right? Anticipate a need for a treat, pop a pill, suck on it, and voila! You have conquered sugar.

Read More »