Tobacco.org

• Young mothers don't kick habit long 

Young expectant mothers may quit drinking and smoking during pregnancy, but they are back to old habits roughly two years after giving birth, a new University of Washington study of local families suggests.

If dads typically engaged in binge drinking and smoking cigarettes and marijuana before a partner's pregnancy, becoming a father didn't change those habits, the report said. That's a problem because if Dad is still smoking or drinking, it is even harder for Mom to stay sober and tobacco free.

"If your partner is still using that substance, it is crazy to imagine even if you beat it down for the pregnancy, it is not going to come back," said Dr. Jim Walsh, director of the Addiction Recovery Services program at Swedish Hospital's Ballard campus.

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