ABSTRACT
Substance use is a significant public health concern. Two of the most commonly used substances, alcohol and tobacco, are associated with a number of negative individual- and societal-level consequences, including death, illness, and economic costs. This chapter discusses the negative impact of alcohol and tobacco use on overall public health, correlates to death and disease, and the impact on individual health and well-being. The chapter goes on to discuss the importance of assessing and treating substance use within the context of integrated health care systems such as Lifestyle Medicine. Given that the use of substances like alcohol and tobacco can influence a variety of pillars in an individual's life, including sleep, social connection, stress management, the chapter concludes with a discussion of the ways in which interventions aimed at addressing substance use can be integrative and consider the interrelationships between substance use and other lifestyle domains.
