Q. Can you tell me why some people are so easily addicted to things and others are not?

My two children are very different - one abuses alcohol and drugs, the other abstains from even social drinking. The one with the addiction is planning on starting a family soon and I am very concerned. He says since he is not carrying the child it doesn't matter of he drinks or "smokes a little weed" from time to time.

Is that true (also - it is not just a "little weed" but he won't admit that to me.)? Also, will his children inherit an "addiction gene"? Is there such a thing? Thank you

A. There are many factors as to why some individuals become addicted. It is a combination of biological, environmental and psychological components.

Although researchers have not isolated the "addiction gene", it is known that individuals can be predisposed to addiction by what is called "genetic loading".

For example, sons of addicted fathers have a significantly higher rate of developing an addiction than son's whose fathers are not addicted. In the case of your son, it appears that he is at "high risk" for developing an addictive disorder, and passing it on to his child.