A Handbook on Drug and Alcohol Abuse: The Biomedical Aspects / Edition 4

by Gail Winger, James H. Woods, Frederick G. Hofmann

Overview

This comprehensive text on the pharmacological, medical, and legal aspects of drug abuse has been thoroughly updated for the Fourth Edition, and a new chapter on club drugs added. The chapter on medical effects was completely rewritten to focus on infections that develop in i.v. drug abusers, and information on the international regulation of drug use was added to the chapter on drug abuse and the law. The book is written at a level appropriate for upper level undergraduate students, graduate or medical students, and drug counselors. All major drugs of abuse are covered: tobacco, opioids, central stimulants (including cocaine, amphetamine, and caffeine), alcohol and other sedatives, marijuana, club drugs (MDMA, GHB, and ketamine), hallucinogens, and volatile solvents. For each type the authors discuss history and culture, the characteristic patterns of use, subjective and physiological effects, mechanisms of pharmacological action, and toxic effects. Epidemiological aspects are discussed as well as pharmacological treatment possibilities where applicable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195172799
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	06/03/2004
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	9.34(w) x 6.06(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

University of Michigan

University of Michigan

Columbia University (Emeritus)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction2. Tobacco and Nicotine3. Opiods4. Depressants of the Central Nervous System5. Depressants of the Central Nervous System: Volatile Solvents and Aerosol Inhalation6. Club Drugs: MDMA, GHB, Ketamine, and Agents Taken in Similar Patterns7. Marijuana and Hashish8. Central Nervous System Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines, Related Drugs, and Caffeine9. Medical Issues Associated with Drug Abuse10. Drug Abuse and the Law

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Schrift, DO (University of Washington School of Medicine)
Description: This is the fourth edition of this comprehensive book written for students and practitioners on drug and alcohol abuse. Written and edited by researcher-educators in pharmacology, this is an excellent updated addition to the field.
Purpose: The purpose, according to the editors, is to provide, "a text or supplement for students and teachers in courses on the pharmacology and behavioral aspects of drug abuse at the upper undergraduate or graduate level; as a source book for medical students and physicians who need more information on drug-related problems their patients are facing; as a resource for counselors and therapists who wish to understand more about the drugs their clients are using; and for lay people with a general curiosity about the drugs that can lead to abuse and dependence." The editors have certainly achieved their goal in producing a very useful and readable book.
Audience: The intended audience is students, clinicians, and the general public.
Features: Topics covered in the 10 chapters include the epidemiology of drug abuse, tobacco and nicotine, opioids, central nervous system depressants — barbiturates, alcohol, benzodiazepines, and volatile solvents, "club drugs" such as ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, marijuana and hashish, and central nervous systems stimulants — cocaine, amphetamines and related drugs. Other interesting and important topics are: medical issues associated with drug abuse and drug abuse and the law. Each chapter ends with relevant and timely references and the index section was helpful. Abuse of anabolic steroids as well the emerging issue of the use of drugs (i.e., Prozac, Ritalin) for mood and cognitive enhancement (as opposed to treatment of a disorder) needs to be addressed in future editions.
Assessment: Overall, this is an excellent review of this important and ubiquitous issue. Anyone interested in this major and growing public health problem should be familiar with the information contained in this book. I highly recommend it.

Doody's Review Service

"It is useful as a concise reference, and would be the book to pull off of the library shelf should you need a diagram of the chemical structure of heroin for a teaching session." —Primary Care Psychology

From reviews of previous editions:

"Comprehensive in scope and detail...The detailed descriptions of how the drugs are abused, their physiological and psychological effects, and the withdrawal symptoms will be especially useful...A very useful reference."—American Pharmacy

"For students and practitioners in the health professions and for educators, this is an excellent book for general reference."—American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education

"This publication would in informative to most anyone whose field is related to the usage of drugs. It would be of great interest to anyone who answers drug information calls, treats drug abusers, or leads public discussions on drug usage in our society."—Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy

"This work is an excellent reference text for both professionals and non-professionals in many disciplines."—Journal of Studies on Alcohol

From the Publisher

3 Stars from Doody