Written in plain language, this reader friendly reference will be used by undergraduate students in health, psychology, counseling, and drug and alcohol treatment. The book is accessible to
high school students as well. The encyclopedia contains 124 alphabetical entries on legal and illegal drugs of abuse, including prescription medical and psychiatric medications. The volume
offers high-interest color photos, process diagrams, and anatomical illustrations, along with boxes on historical background and current news stories. Most of the book's entries are on specific
substances, from alcohol to Vicodin, with additional entries on medical, treatment, and sociobiological concepts, as well as terms related to drug policy, the illegal drug trade, prohibition,
and the legalization movement. There are also entries on natural compounds in the body that interact with drugs, such as hormones, endorphins, and serotonin. For easy skimming, each entry
includes a three-line summary definition in large type, plus key fact boxes on names, forms, dangers, and legal classification in the US and UK. A list of print and Internet resources (Internet
resources are briefly annotated) is included. The 10-page glossary of medical, psychiatric, and treatment terms is illustrated with color drawings. A two-page table lists common, trade,
chemical, generic, botanical and street names and drug classes for 84 drugs. Annotation 穢2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
