Lindsay Lohan makes up for lost time

Lindsay Lohan makes up for lost time

Looking like a schoolgirl with her first crush, Lindsay Lohan giggles and simpers with girlfriend Samantha Ronson on the set of new movie Labor Pains.

Having spent months denying they were more than just friends, the touchy-feely pair are clearly making up for lost publicity... er... time.

As they strolled hand-in-hand, above, between their trailer and the film set in LA, Lindsay even copped a feel of Sam's tight-trousered tush, below. Cheeky...

Lindsay Lohan's dad disapproval

Lindsay Lohan's dad disapproval

Lindsay Lohan's father has blasted the actress for agreeing to star in a new movie about murderer Charles Manson.

Her dad Michael thinks his daughter - who will play Nancy Pitman, a cult follower of the notorious Manson who was convicted of seven counts of murder in 1971, in 'Manson Girls' - should stick to the "mainstream films" which made her a star.

He said: "I really hope that Lindsay gets back to the kinds of films that led to her success. I'd like to see her do more mainstream films.

"Some of the movies she has done recently were geared to a specific audience. But when you're the kind of star Lindsay is, you have to appeal to a general audience, not just a specific audience."

Manson was originally given the death penalty after masterminding a series of gruesome murders, including that of pregnant actress Sharon Tate, the then-wife of director Roman Polanski. His sentence was reduced after the state of California abolished the death penalty.

Although Lindsay's character didn't participate in the murders, she is believed to have accompanied Manson to the scene of the crime afterwards to help remove evidence.

The 21-year-old actress can next be seen starring alongside Jared Leto in 'Chapter 27' - a controversial new film documenting Beatles legend John Lennon's assassination in 1980.

Lindsay Lohan?s Grandfather is Battling Cancer

Lindsay Lohan?s Grandfather is Battling Cancer

Looking as cheerful as possible under the circumstances, Lindsay Lohan spent time with recently inseparable pal Samantha Ronson visiting her terminally ill grandfather in Long Island.

According to E! reports, “Michael Lohan called Lindsay last weekend to let her know that her 73-year-old grandfather was struggling with colon cancer that has apparently spread to his lungs.”

“Right now, he’s really been broken down by this disease,” the Lohan family patriarch told E! News.

Meanwhile, more rumors of a possible lesbian relationship between LiLo and her DJ pal Samantha have begun to surface - with Ronson’s older brother offering his sister support.

Mark said: “I am protective over my twin sisters. I have lots of sisters. I have four sisters and five brothers. I am protective over all of them. I love them and of course I care about each one.”

And even though he strongly supports his sister, that doesn’t means that Mark will be helping Lindsay complete her new album.

The 32-year-old producer tells: “Samantha and Lindsay are good friends but I wouldn’t produce her album. I don’t know, I am more interested in working with musicians and groups of singers. Not to take anything away from her. I am sure she will make a good record. But it’s not my thing.”

Celebrity Watch: Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson in NYC

Celebrity Watch: Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson in NYC

Lindsay Lohan bonded extensively with her lesbian friend Samantha Ronson over the weekend. The two are seen here at vintage clothing store, What Comes Around Goes Around in NYC, Sunday, March 10.

March 10, 2008 (Sawf News) - Lindsay Lohan bonded extensively with her lesbian friend Samantha Ronson over the weekend. The two are seen here at vintage clothing store, What Comes Around Goes Around in NYC, Sunday, March 10.

Lindsay was dressed like…well…Lindsay, in her trademark black leggings, knee high boots and extra long white and blue scarf. She wore a jersey top, a grey cardigan and a short black leather jacket.
The recently rehabbed 21-year-old will start shooting for the comedy Ye Olde Times with Jack Black and David Arquette next month. She also has a dance, hip-hop and R&B album in the works.

"I'm recording right now [with] Motown and being in the studio again has been really great," Lindsay said recently. "It's all coming together."

Lindsay Lohan's mom Dina, her sister Ali and her brothers Michael and Cody will star in the new E! reality series Living Lohan this summer.

Lindsay Lohan: I'm Here About the Job

Lindsay Lohan: I'm Here About the Job

The So Sick singer who has written tunes for a number of artists including Beyonce, will help Lohan on her comeback dance album which will be released on soul label Motown.

Lohan confirmed that she will be working with the R&B man "Yes, I'm a really big fan of his. He's great. I'm doing one of his songs".

Keep an eye out for this one...

Lindsay Lohan: All Play, No Work

Lindsay Lohan: All Play, No Work

Looking as if the deep brunette hue which she dyed her hair a few weeks ago is beginning to lighten up a bit, Lindsay Lohan kept up with her daily routine in Los Angeles on Saturday (February 16).

The Mean Girls starlet did the shopping/lunch combo, visiting stores including Club Monaco in Beverly Hills, along with a bite to eat at Cafe Med.

And it appears that Lohan is regaining her typical high spirits, as a store insider recently told FOX Pop Tarts, “Lindsay is a store regular — she came in not long after she got out of rehab and even then seemed a little withdrawn. But this time she was back to business, looking hot and having fun.”

Later on in the evening, press reports tell that LiLo was spotted “outside S Bar, and while she pretended not to want her picture taken, she was caught posing a few times for the camera.”

Lindsay Lohan in Not Another Good Look

Lindsay Lohan in Not Another Good Look

How does Lindsay Lohan manage to do it?

("It" being "look bad so often", that is. Just in case it wasn't clear and you thought I meant "look so amazing all the time!").

Actually, I can tell you how she manages it.

1. She removes a cream blouse from her wardrobe.

2. She removes a pair of opaque tights from her wardrobe.

3. She pulls on a pair of cream ankle boots.

4. She puts on a silver crucifix on a chain, and a pair of enormous purple aviator sunglasses.

5. She leaves the house.

Obviously I left out the part about 'painting her face orange', but then, that goes without saying.

Did Lindsay Lohan fall off the wagon again?!

Did Lindsay Lohan fall off the wagon again?

Lindsay Lohan is supposedly trying to recover from a drug and alcohol addiction, and I'm sure it is hard when you're always clubbing!

Lohan was spotted at a West Hollywood club this week trying to fulfil her sexual addiction by flirting with Leonardo DiCaprio and Adrian Grenier. When that didn't work out Lindsay was seen sipping on Champagne and vodka according to the Daily News.

This isn't the first time Lindsay has been busted traveling off the wagon. On New Years, a photog snapped the pic above of LiLo sippin' on Champagne. After that "isolated incident," Lohan evidently called her AA-sponsor to get back on track.

Evidently, it didn't work!

Maine musician coy about whether he's Lindsay Lohan's new boyfriend

Maine musician coy about whether he's Lindsay Lohan's new boyfriend

WATERVILLE, Maine - A singer-songwriter from Maine who's filming a reality show with Lindsay Lohan is getting his 15 minutes of fame, and then some.

Jeremy Greene, a Waterville native, says he's being hounded by press calls after Life & Style magazine reported that Lohan referred to Greene as her "new boyfriend."

"It's good and it's bad," Greene told the Morning Sentinel newspaper. "It's like the gift and the curse."

The 25-year-old Greene, who was seen with Lohan in New York, received several text messages from her while being interviewed by the paper. He avoided questions on whether he and Lohan are dating - "we're just friends" - and says people will have to watch the show to see if there are any sparks.

Lohan's mother, Dina, contacted Greene last fall, he said. They did some initial shootings for the show and he and the Lohan family hit it off.

For the reality show, Greene and the Lohan family will live on the top floor of the Palms Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, where there's a swimming pool and a full music recording studio, among other things.

As for the media attention, it kicked into high gear on Monday when Greene was seen with Lohan at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City.

Will he ever bring Lindsay to Maine?

"I told her we have good lobster," he said. "You never know."

Lindsay Lohan’s Saturday Night Sushi

Lindsay Lohan’s Saturday Night Sushi

A day after clubbing with Paris Hilton and throwing an after-party at her place, Lindsay Lohan was spotted back to her usual routine on Saturday (February 2).

To start things off, the Mean Girls starlet threw on her purple leather boots and headed out for lunch and a few quick errands around Hollywood.

After a brief rest and a change of clothes, the 21-year-old took her girlfriends out for an evening of Japanese cuisine at Matsunisa in Los Angeles.

For the sushi outing, LiLo opted to wear her black spandex pants along with a purplish plaid button down, in which Lindsay seemingly ran out of energy halfway through the buttoning job.

Lindsay Lohan’s Saturday Night Sushi

Lindsay Lohan’s Saturday Night Sushi

Lindsay Lohan's latest accomplishment: Brody Jenner?

Lindsay Lohan's latest accomplishment: Brody Jenner?!

Lindsay Lohan really does seem to have replaced her drug and alcohol addiction with an addiction to men!

Some GaySocialites spotted Lindsay running around with Brody Jenner on Friday night, and People magazine's sources busted Lindsay and Brody getting really close at Beatrice Inn.

Lohan and Jenner were evidently "all over each other" at Beatrice Inn. They stayed about 30 minutes and then headed to The Box with buddy Frankie Delgado.

"She likes him. It's early, but they are more than friends," a source told People. "He seems to like her back. They're actually sweet together, it would be nice if she kept him around."

Jenner is supposed to be dating Cora Skinner, and from what we understand they are pretty hot and heavy.

Wonder if Cora is going to come looking for Lindsay?

Lindsay Lohan’s dad vows to track down her drug dealer

Lindsay Lohan’s dad vows to track down her drug dealer

Lindsay Lohan’s father has vowed to track down a drug dealer who has been boasting of selling cocaine to the troubled actress.

The unidentified man - who has been in touch with several media outlets - claims he will tell-all about Lohan and other celebrity clients for a price.

But now the Mean Girls starlet’s father - former convict Michael Lohan - says he hopes to track him down.

He said: “I’ve been looking for the people who’ve been selling my daughter and these other kids the drugs.

“And come hell or high water, one day I’m going to find these guys and I’m going to expose them.”

Recovering addict Michael Lohan, who has joined a Christian youth ministry since he was released from jail last month, added: “God is going to get even with this guy.

“He’s destroyed a lot of lives.”

Lindsay Lohan, 21, checked out of rehab last year.

Whats cooking between Lindsay Lohan and Brody Jenner?

Whats cooking between Lindsay Lohan and Brody Jenner?

It seems that Lindsay Lohan and Brody Jenner are more than just friends, for the duo was recently spotted having a very cosy evening together.

The pair tried to avoid being photographed together, as they moved from one nightclub to another in New York on Jan 25.

However, they were spotted to have been “all over each other” at Beatrice Inn where they stayed for about 30 minutes before heading off to another celeb hot spot, The Box.

The two were accompanied by their friend Frankie Delgado and are reported to have stayed at The Box till about 3:30 a.m.

“She likes him. It’s early, but they are more than friends. He seems to like her back. They’re actually sweet together, it would be nice if she kept him around,” People quoted a source, as saying.

A representative for Jenner did not comment on the matter.

Lindsay Lohan day in Jail

Lindsay Lohan day in Jail

by Robert Muhoho

Lindsay Lohan faces DUI Charges
Lindsay Lohan had her day in court and managed to plea bargain in what critics claim is a case of justice miscarried.

Charged on a misdemeanor of drunken driving and cocaine intake, the plea deal was made in the judge chambers and Lohan managed to get off with a day in jail, 10 days in community service and complete a drug rehab program. Lindsay has been charged with a previous DUI and this was a repeat charge which could easily have carried a more serious sentence.

Lindsay confesses to Drugs and alcohol addiction

Lindsay Lohan had confessed 'I am addicted to alcohol and drugs,' the actress said in a statement.

Lindsay Lohan was also placed under a 36 months probation in which she is required to complete an 18 month alcohol education program, pay fines and a three day coroner program. The coroner program for Lindsay Lohan will see her visit the morgue and talk to victims of drunken drivers.

Lindsay accepted she broke the law and did things she was ashamed of " I broke the law and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case," She also added that her life had become unmanageable because she was addicted to alcohol and drugs," Lohan said in a statement released by publicist Leslie Sloane Zelnik.

Deputy attorney in Lindsay case offers advice

Deputy district attorney Danette Meyers claimed that Lindsay was getting what every one else would after the hearing. The case was held in Los Angeles County Superior court by Judge H Chester Horn Jr.'s court room. Meyers also sounded the warning that if Lindsay were to get another DUI rap, she would get 120-day jail sentence. If actress Lohan violates her probation in any way, she will face up to a year on each of the drunken driving and cocaine charges and a 90 day in the can on the reckless driving charge.

Lohan had been charged earlier with 7 misdemeanors from two drunken -driving arrests in the last 4 months. Serious felony charges on the cocaine were not pressed since the levels found in her body did not warrant them.

Lohan's full senctence

Lohan was sentenced to a 96 hour jail term which is the mandatory minimum for a second drunken driving offence. However she was also given a 24 hour credit for hours already served and opted to complete an additional 10 days in community serve rather than go back to jail to complete the balance of 48 hours behind bars. This is said to be an option available for all second time drunken driving offenders. However she still has to serve 24 hours in the city or county jail. She is currently being treated at a residential rehabilitation center in Utah. She has to complete 30 days in-house for her mandatory treatment on the cocaine charges.

Lindsay Lohan Motor vehicle felony charges

Lindsay Lohan had been arrested on two different occasions on May 26 in Beverly Hills and on July 24 Santa Monica. Luckily, in each arrest, her cocaine levels were found to be less than the .05 required to file charges on cocaine abuse. Lohan had then been put on rehabilitation although she never kept her part of the bargain.

Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie under DUI charges too

Lindsay Lohan's case follows a series of recent most famous celebrity DUI cases that have resulted in jail time. Paris Hilton concluded her 23 days in jail after she was convicted of driving on a suspended license while on probation for a DUI and reckless driving case. Nicole Ritchie spent four days in jail from a December DUI arrest. She however hardly spent more than two hours in a women's jail.

Former Paris Hilton attorney, Howard L. Weitzman said that Lindsay Lohan seems to be doing the advisable thing by owning up to her mistakes, paying for them and doing the best to put her life back in track.

Lindsay Lohan's Car Crash

Lohan had in the May incident crashed her Mercedes-Benz into a tree on Sunset Boulevard and fled the scene to seek treatment. A White powder found in Lohan's purse by Police was said to have been .04 grams of cocaine.

Lindsay Lohan keeping it in the family

Lindsay Lohan keeping it in the family

by Baby

'Lohanistic Behaviour'
Celebrity girl Lindsay Lohan is back in the news today with the rumour this time being about her warring parents finalising their divorce. Parents of the Lohan tribe Michael and Dina are both agreeing the settlement in court in New York where both were said to be satisfied with the outcome. Lindsay Lohans old man Papa Lohan is recently out of prison after charges of drink driving and fighting plus other things. There is still an ongoing custody battle over the other younger Lohan children in the family in a separate court case. I would suggest that the local welfare take those children and bring them up in 'The Projects' or other such area, they may have a better chance for the future etc. The thing is welfare workers think that a poor family experience is still better than a fantastic kids home! Those poor misguided fools. At this time the Mean Girls star Lohan was not available for any comment she at this time being otherwise engaged in rehab for: Now its multiple choice question time Q and A - Why is Lindsay in rehab? Is it 'A' - for depression or 'B' - for drugs or 'C' for drink Driving? Or maybe it's 'D' all three? Am I being cynical here? Don't you think there is definitely a pattern forming with the Lohans? Lindsay Lohan does not know how to behave and it is not really that surprising when you look at the behaviour of her father - celebrity hanger-on and loser that he is. Most kids look to adults as role models whom they will emulate so as to appear more mature.(For those of you reading in Hicksville emulate means to copy!). There is an old saying: "Behaviour breeds behaviour". The only issue with this 'Lohanistic' behaviour is that it stinks!. Maybe Lindsay Lohan and her family will all find God or something. Then again maybe Mel Gibson will be canonised by the Pope. Keep it up Lindsay Lohan and family, the rest use you as a measure on how not to behave. So being flame haired was not the only curse for poor old Lindsay Lohan, think of it this way - even with all the talent in the world what chance in life did she ever have with folks like this?

Lindsay Lohan May Open Drunk Driving School

Lindsay Lohan May Open Drunk Driving School

by Tom Attea

In the wake of being arrested for DUI on a second occasion, Lindsay Lohan has reportedly announced, "I think that two arrests qualify me as an expert. So I may use my experience and open a drunk driving school."
"What will you teach?" a reporter asked.

"Oh, really important skills, like how to drive when you feel really drunk and can't quite seem to keep the car in the center of the road, what to do if you head the wrong way down a one-way street without knowing it, and how to react if you accidentally run over somebody. Things like that, which ordinary driving schools just leave out."

"But what about getting people to stop drinking and driving?"

"Yes, we'll have a course on that and it should prove really interesting, since I can't figure out how to do it myself. Obviously, I don't have any idea how to teach people how to avoid getting arrested. So that part of the course should elicit a lot of give a take. My really important goal is to help people get home safe, or at least without getting arrested. I'm kind of vague about those things myself, too, but I'm always willing to give a good idea a shot."

Lohan's legal counsel is rumored to be looking into applying for a license for the institution, but the lawyers face a multitude of difficulties, such as the inconvenient fact that the state of California has yet to establish a licensing agency for the category.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan

by Baby

What is it with Lindsay Lohan celebrity bad girl? That girl always seems to be in trouble for one thing or another. There were girls just like her at my school and Lindsay Lohan is just another example of the too much money no real class celebrity we are bombarded with by celebrity gossip journalism. Lindsay Lohan is in rehab; Lindsay Lohan is caught doing drugs again! Lindsay Lohan crashed her car whilst chasing someone who once annoyed her, Lindsay Lohan ate my baby! Well let me point one thing out about sweet Lindsay - she is a red head! Or as they say in the UK a 'ginger'! In Australia its 'Bluey' It seems to me that regardless of where you are in the world the ginger race all have one thing in common - red mist! Or anger management issues! Now I know this is stereotyping/profiling but ask yourself this question - Of all of the red heads I know like Lindsay Lohan, how many of them are in therapy/jail/rehab? Enough said on that subject I think. Now I know there are certain exceptions to this, Gillian Anderson is not remotely 'mentalistic', she always looks lovely and has nice lips. (No botox there darling!) Then theres Nicole, a definite red head trying to cover up. She seems well balanced since leaving Tom (and his cult/non cult/religion - whatever it is). Anyhow what Lindsay Lohan needs to do is get herself a few new roles in nice films, more Disney, rom-coms, Hugh Grant nonsense. (OK perhaps not Hugh, on reflection he could lead her further astray). Perhaps someone like Owen Wilson, lovely man, or one of the Wayans brothers. Put some humour back into her life. Lindsay always seems to get it wrong somehow. She has obvious alcohol and cocaine issues and due to the fact that the whole world knows this you would think she would keep a low profile. Not our Lindsay, she goes out on the town and lets it all hang out, (including her reputation). What she needs is the guiding hand of a mother who will take her to task and give her some tough love, someone like.....Bette Davies!! For now lets us wish dear Lindsay Lohan all the best with her court case. It seems that some parasite is suing her for something ridiculous to do with the car crash thing. Best wishes to Lindsay Lohan and remember, you can dye your hair all you like girl, we still know the truth.

Lindsay Lohan Suffers from Americanitis

Lindsay Lohan Suffers from Americanitis

by Karen Fish

Lindsay Lohan today is retching her guts out and cleaning toilets at the Cirque Lodge Rehabilitation Center in Orem, Utah. Having chased and caught the American Dream of fame, fortune, movie and music stardom Lindsay was left with a painful empty feeling which she chose to eliminate with the cheap thrills of booze and cocaine.
91 percent of the world's poppy plants are grown in Afghanistan. These poppy plants are turrned into heroin and wind up on the streets of America, leading to violent crime and incarceration and their toll personally and financially on all Americans. The United States of America conquered Afghanistan 4 years ago and the poppy production has increased since then. These poppy plants are used to finance Al Qaeda. Why hasn't President Bush given the order to root out every poppy plant in Afghanistan? What's in it for the administration to keep America's poor minorities hooked on smack and locked behind bars? What did Lindsay Lohan's poppy Michael Lohan do to cause his daughter Lindsay to tumble into the abyss? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Americanitis is the inflamation of the American. The American mind today is burning in a self made Hell. Feel your brain cells exploding like a suicide bomber playing "Blow me up for Virgins." The Old Testament, revered as Holy Scripture by Christianity, Islam and Judaism tells many stories. Every year on the Day of Atonement, the highest of all holidays, Yom Kippur, the High How are You Jewish Priest took a goat into the desert. The High Priest laid his hands upon the head of the goat and transferred all of the sins of the Jewish people into the goat. This is the origin of Jewish guilt and neuroses, the theme of every Woody Allen movie. The guilty goat was then sent to carry the sins of the Jewish people away into the sands of the desert, thereby cleansing the Jewish people of their sins. The Jesus died for your sins theorem is an extrapalotion of the scape goat mishegus.

The reason that people need scape goats is because it's too painful to admit your own sins. Jesus Christ hammered home over and over the importance of obeying the 10 commandments. The self proclaimed Holy American Christian Right led the charge into Iraq. This is the majority of the American people. Despite the 10 commandments, the American people idolize Lindsay Lohan, drive on the Sabbath, do not honor their fathers, have murdered 1 million innocent Iraqi men, women and children even though they had zero to do with 9/11, commit adultery, are trying to steal the Iraqis' oil, have repeatedly beared false witness against the Iraqi people and coveted the oil of the Iraqi people and the fame and fortune of Linday Lohan. God of Mount Sinai, worshipped by every Christian, Muslim and Jew carved in stone Himself that if people broke his 10 commandments He would punish them, their children, their grandchildren and their great grandchildren. Rather than admit their own crimes against humanity the American people are scape goating and blaming the Muslims, the terrorists, Al Qaeda, Hamas, the Axis of Evil, Syria, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, the Republicans, the Democrats and anyone else they can think of for their own sins.

It is important to get to the root of our problems and then weed them out permanently. The root cause of the Iraq War, leading to the Iran War and then to nuclear world war 3, the Apocalypse, the extinction of life on Earth forever in the aftermath of nuclear world war 3, nuclear winter then ultraviolet summer is the human brain. If not for the existence of human beings the Earth would be a real live paradise for the next few billion years, with crystal clear streams, lush forests and fresh sparkling air. Where did we go wrong? What invention of the human brain triggered the transformation of our beautiful planet into the wasteland of Mars, which used to have its own beautiful oceans? Now all Mars is good for is to resurface the courts at Roland Garros, Roger Federer's Waterloo.

The invention of the human brain which is causing the Iraq War, global warming and Lindsay Lohan's impending incarceration is the car. For 5 million years human beings got along beautifully without cars. Now we are all car junkies. We are like coke junkies standing outside of a drug store Jonesing with excruciating withdrawal symptoms until we can no longer stand the pain and we break into the drug store. Iraq is the drug store, the gasoline station we Americans have broken into. If the people of Earth do not stop driving cars immediately then we human beings will soon cause the extinction of life on earth forever with another of our brilliant inventions, weapons of mass destruction. We are like the big guy in "Of Mice and Men" who didn't realize his own stength and power and accidentaly killed his pet mouse. Obviously if one person stops driving, it will not save the world. However, if everyone on Earth stops driving, and disposes of the weapons of mass destruction, it will save life on Earth. All it would take would be 200 people representing 200 countries to stand up tomorrow at the United Nations and announcing that effective immediately each country will be banning cars and disarming. It's that simple.

Alcohol And Drug Rehab Relapse Needs More Study

Alcohol And Drug Rehab Relapse Needs More Study

by Rod MacTaggart

Celebrities experiencing relapses after one or more rehabs, such as the recent Lindsay Lohan fall from grace after her second high-priced treatment program, are drawing public attention to the possible lack of effectiveness of alcohol and drug rehab programs.
In a recent Baltimore Sun article, a Maryland rehab professional said that when stars backslide "it definitely doesn't look good for rehab centers because you get this biased view that people don't do well after rehab."

However, a modest search of news archives suggests that perhaps the idea that rehab programs may be less than effective isn't all that biased. It's tough to find stories of first-time successful alcohol and drug rehab recoveries. Perhaps the media is the wrong place to look - most stories that qualify as newsworthy are concerned with loss and failure. But a search of professional literature seems to add to the evidence - a terrific amount of money is being spent on alcohol and drug rehab programs and methods that do not deliver the goods - freedom from addiction - to the not-famous millions seeking alcohol and drug rehab around the world, as well as the celebrities.

Relapse is as common as addiction itself. Scientists, addiction specialists and even former addicts are at pains to explain how addiction is a "lifelong affliction", that full recovery is difficult and, for some addicts, impossible.

However, stories abound from individuals who attest to being completely recovered from serious alcohol and drug addiction - years or even decades after a single successful alcohol or drug rehab program, they are still clean and sober. The scientists and specialists cannot easily explain such results, and often disagree on how it happens. Nevertheless, it does happen. And these results prove that successful drug rehab is definitely possible and relapse does not have to be part of the picture.

According to a report by researchers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and several health-consulting firms, published in Health Affairs, spending for substance-abuse treatment in 2003 was $20.7 billion, up from $9.3 billion in 1986. A current-year figure is unavailable, but is likely about the same or more. And it is astounding to discover we're spending that much money on something that, by and large, may not work very well.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says illicit drugs and alcohol contribute to the deaths of more than 100,000 Americans every year, and alcohol, nicotine and illegal drugs cost Americans upwards of half a trillion dollars a year, considering their combined medical, economic, criminal, and social impact.

Add those shocking statistics to what is being spent on spotty rehab, and we're clearly not making effective use of our resources.

Logic suggests that serious studies should be funded to determine what it is that some alcohol and drug rehab centers are doing right. Americans can then spend their money on a successful drug rehab program instead of something that doesn't work, billions of wasted dollars can be otherwise utilized, and people with alcohol and drug addiction problems can actually get their lives back.