Drugs: A Very Short Introduction
ISBN13: 9780192854315ISBN10: 0192854313
Paperback,
144 pages
Sep 2001,
In Stock
Price:
$11.95 (03)See more from the series
Description
The twentieth century saw a remarkable upsurge of research on drugs, with major advances in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections, heart disease, stomach ulcers, cancer, and mental illnesses. These, along with the introduction of the oral contraceptive, have altered all of our lives. There has also been an increase in the recreational use and abuse of drugs in the Western world. This Very Short Introduction gives a non-technical account of how drugs act on the body and how therapeutic drugs are developed and tested, then goes on to review both legal (prescription, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine) and illegal drugs, and discuss current ideas about why some drugs are addictive, and whether drug laws need reform.Features
- Covers both medicinal and recreational drugs
- Discusses the history of drug use from ancient times
- Explains the facts about how drugs work, including alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, as well as beta-blockers, antidepressants, and painkillers
- Explains how therapeutic drugs are developed and tested, and how the drug industry works
- Explores political, legal, medical, and social aspects of recreational drug-taking, and gives opinions about legalization of drugs such as cannabis
- Leslie Iversen's previous books include The Science of Marijuana
Product Details
144 pages; 23 halftones & line illus; 4-1/2 x 7; ISBN13: 978-0-19-285431-5ISBN10: 0-19-285431-3About the Author(s)
Leslie Iversen is Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford, and was previously Director of the Neuroscience Research Centre of Merck Research Laboratories. His most recent book is The Science of Marijuana, published by OUP.
