NCJ Number
196591
Date Published
2001
Length
432 pages
Annotation
This book provides information on methods for dealing with dependency on alcohol, depressants, hallucinogens, heroin, nicotine, marijuana, caffeine, amphetamines, designer drugs, and steroids.
Abstract
The opening chapter on the drug user advises that the use of licit and illicit mood-altering substances is widespread and respects neither ethnic nor socioeconomic boundaries; such use occurs at all ages and among all populations. The second chapter addresses the classification of mood-altering drugs. It indicates that mood-altering drugs can be classified by their availability or perceived harm to the public, effects perceived by the user, action on the brain, actual mood-altering effects, and legitimate medical use. The third chapter explains the effects of drugs generally on the brain, leading to habituation, dependency, and addiction. A chapter on "why people use drugs" considers the initiation of drug use, biological determinants, psychological factors, and environment and conditioning. The next two chapters discuss the identification of drug dependency and the treatment of drug dependency. In the next series of chapters, the effects of specific drugs in the body are discussed in detail, as are their potential for and treatment of dependence, regardless of specific classification. Separate chapters are devoted to alcohol; central nervous system depressants and antianxiety agents; powerful hallucinogens (Phencyclidine and Ecstasy); marijuana; opiates and opioids; heroin addiction; amphetamines; cocaine; nicotine; and volatile solvents, anesthetics, and organic nitrites. The concluding series of chapters focus on "areas of special concern," including multiple drug use; AIDS and drug use; drugs, pregnancy, and the newborn; and drugs and sports. A 660-item bibliography, appended drug use reporting sources, a list of common names for drugs, and a subject index