(HealthDay News) -- The shocking revelation by her father that 24-year-old British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse may have a mild form of emphysema leaves experts with more questions than answers.

It's possible that Winehouse, in addition to her well-publicized use of drugs and cigarettes, has a congenital condition that contributed to her current crisis, one lung doctor said.

"If you see emphysema in a young person, you have to think of that," said Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

CHICAGO (AP)- The federal government's new advice to doctors for helping smokers quit recommends the drug Chantix, which has recently been linked with depression and suicidal behavior. The new guidelines mention the psychiatric risks but also say the popular Pfizer Inc. drug is the most effective at helping people get off cigarettes.

The guidelines mention other options, too, and highly recommend combining counseling and medication. But doctors are encouraged to talk to all smokers who want to quit about trying medication.

Granted Senator Obama "quit" smoking about a year ago (he admits falling off the wagon now and again), but this is still a very current health issue for him since he did smoke cigarettes for the majority of his life. I mean, the amount of fatty deposits in a carotid artery doesn't just go away when you quit smoking. It's there and poses a health risk for the rest of your life. And the risk of a stroke remains way higher than normal for up to 20 years after you quit smoking. (On top of this, African-Americans have a higher risk of stroke than Caucasians.)

Tobacco companies are still being sued. Tobacco companies have hidden the addictive properties of their products for years. They continue to market to teenagers, and specifically target women by calling their cigarettes 'slims' and using slogans like 'it's a woman thing' while showing a gorgeous, slim, successful woman smiling at the camera and puffing away on her cigarette.