Drug addiction is a brain disease--that's the modern view and it is fully expressed in this up-to-date book. Among the many volumes on drugs written for lay readers, this one is unique in the breadth of its coverage and the depth of its science. The first part gives a clear scientific account of the nature of addiction, stressing neurobiology and addictive behavior and describing the "highs" that drugs can produce. The second section covers the seven families of addictive drugs, with emphasis on their actions in the brain and on psychological aspects: nicotine, alcohol, heroin and other opiates, cocaine and amphetamines, marijuana, caffeine, and hallucinogens like LSD. The third section deals with laws and drug control policies. Throughout, the author gives many interesting personal accounts of addiction research, to which he has highlighted new research on the genetics and neurobiology of susceptibility to addiction.

1. Introduction PART ONE: DRUGS AND THE BRAIN 2. Neurotransmitters: The Brain's Own Drugs 3. Receptors: Locks for the Addictive Keys 4. Addictive Behavior 5. Pain and Pleasure 6. The Seesaw Brain: "Highs" and Adaptations 7. Are Addicts Born or Made? PART TWO: DRUGS AND THE ADDICTS 8. Nicotine 9. Alcohol and Related Drugs 10. Heroin, Morphine, and Other Opiates 11. Cocaine and Amphetamines 12. Cannabis (Marijuana) 13. Caffeine 14. Hallucinogens PART THREE: DRUGS AND SOCIETY 15. Prevention: Just Say No? 16. Treatment Addiction, Preventing Relapse 17. Three Lessons from the Street 18. Three Lessons from Abroad 19. Prohibition vs. Legalization- A False Dichotomy 20. New Strategies for Rational Drug Policy

Avram GoldsteinProfessor of Pharmacology, Stanford University (Emeritus)

"A refreshingly straightforward and scientifically rigorous consideration of a wide range of information."--Eric J. Nestler, M.D., Cell |k No