Drug Use: A Reference Handbook (contemporary World Issues) [Hardcover]

A balanced and straightforward survey of the key issues, facts, and controversies surrounding the use and abuse of harmful drugs in the United States and abroad.

Drug Use: A Reference Handbookpresents a vast collection of facts and information about the major issues that drive the world's never-ending drug problem. An examination of five substancestobacco, alcohol, cannabis, heroin, and cocainepresents eye-opening facts about their relationship to politics, policies, big business, and war.

Historical overviews and descriptions of the makeup and effects of each drugsuch as the derivation of heroin from the opium poppysegue into an analysis of the risk factors, patterns, and controversies regarding their use. Biographies profile key players related to the substance-use problem, and reports on drug use in the United States and selected countries are viewed from a worldwide perspective, offering a thought-provoking exploration of drug use, its problems, and policies.

Richard Isralowitz, PhD, is a professor in the Spitzer Department of Social Work at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva' Israel. His drug prevention and research efforts have affiliated him with the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.A great resource for students researching drug use in the U.S. . . . A strength of the volume is its documented statistics and excerpts from books, journals, and newsletter articles, and commission reports, many of which include websites. . . . A thorough table of contents, glossary, appendix of drug categories and street terms, and index ease access to the information while the excellent documentation and bibliography will lead readers to additional resources. This handbook will be in demand. School Library Journal