Questions on the use of alcohol and cigarettes were asked only in the 1990 Older Men survey. This interview first collected information for both surviving and deceased respondents on the frequency and quantity of alcoholic beverages consumed during both the past year. If the respondent had consumed at least 12 drinks during his years as an adult, data were also gathered on the frequency and quantity of the respondent's lifetime consumption.

The 1990 survey also asked respondents about lifetime cigarette use. Data are available for both current and past users on age when first started smoking regularly and number of cigarettes/packs smoked on a usual day. In addition, the survey asked respondents who had stopped smoking as of the interview date to report their age when they last smoked regularly. Table 1 reports the ages at which respondents who smoked first began using cigarettes and stopped using cigarettes.