Religion may have the potential to reduce the risk of substance abuse. According to a report from Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, adults and teens who consider religion to be very important and who attend religious services are far less likely to smoke, drink or use illicit drugs. The two-year study shows that nearly all clergy consider substance abuse and addiction important issues in their congregations, but only 13 percent of spiritual leaders have any training in the field.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.