The age old debate is ongoing today as to whether marijuana is addictive or not. According to Psychology Today, the question has been raised for decades.

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Recently, the House of Representatives passed a medical marijuana bill with a 236-96 vote in their favor. They still face an uphill battle in the Senate, however in order to defeat the promised veto from Governor John Lynch.

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For a number of years teen use of marijuana had been in decline but a recent study shows that the trend is now tracking in the other direction. Some parents may recall public service ads from 10 to 20 years ago based on the “this is your brain….this is your brain on drugs” tagline. Those ads were the product of a non-profit group named The Partnership at Drugfree.org.

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There are many options for people looking for a drug rehab program. Each patient has their own work schedules and family obligations, and comes in with varying severity of addiction. Some find the intensive daily treatment in residential drug rehab programs the best for them. Others find that outpatient therapy allows them more flexibility for their family and work needs.

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You would think fame and fortune would be enough to make a person happy. That’s not the case for many celebrities.

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Celebrity Russell Brand shares his thoughts in a recent article about a different approach to dealing with those who are caught with illegal drugs. He believes that rather than locking them up in jail, they should be sent to rehabilitation for the addiction.

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A new study reveals that watching just a five minute video may help reverse memories of former drug use with past heroin addicts. It could also help ease cravings and the process is quite simple, says David Epstein with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and co author of the study.

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Drug rehab is tough – but actually the first weeks and months post-rehab might be even tougher. In rehab there was a 100 percent supportive environment committed to your recovery and well-being. After drug rehab, life in all its complexity is there every morning and evening loaded with triggers that can trip up all your best intentions. Just accepting that this is how life is can be a major step toward staring down the fear and anxiousness that normal life can bring. Still, there are a few practical strategies that can also help make the passage smoother.

1. Enlist the help of another

Call this person a sponsor – or don’t – but, find someone you can trust whom you can call when life’s pressures feel like they’re pressing down on you.

2. Use HALT

Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired – each of these can be a trigger for an intense emotional reaction and therefore for a relapse. Eat well, get plenty of regularly scheduled sleep, stay around encouraging people and deal quickly and appropriately with anger.

3. Find somewhere to give

Giving to others is fulfilling. Find a place to volunteer feeding the hungry, visit the elderly, take time to engage with the handicapped. If you can’t volunteer, be sure to build one new friendship – thinking of how you can be the giver in the relationship.

4. Have some fun

Take an exercise or art class and just have some fun. Take the dog to the park at least twice a week and throw a Frisbee or play fetch. Attend free library events. Share the funny papers with someone. What did you enjoy when you were a kid? Can’t you still enjoy it?

5. Improve existing relationships

Find ways to work on relationships that were damaged during your addiction. Confess to the person how your choices hurt them and allow them to tell you more. Verbalize your strong commitment to making changes beyond drug rehab. If their words are too painful at first – contact your ‘sponsor’ for some support.