Full Text Review(s)
"More than 250 alphabetically arranged, signed articles cover a broad and thoughtful range of topics. In addition to the list of entries, volume one lists articles by theme and introduces the color-coded system used throughout the set . Entries include types of drugs, particular substances, and chemicals natural to the human body. A "key facts" panel in each article details the legal classification of the substance in the U.S., the UK, and by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB); the drug’s street names; form; effects; and dangers. There are also articles about abuse, addiction, treatment, organizations, the law, temperance and legalization movements, social services, class and drug use, the pharmaceutical industry, and the influence of drugs on art, literature, and music. The clear, well-written entries range in length from one to six pages and conclude with "see-also" references. Visually appealing, clear, color diagrams, photographs, text boxes, tables, and charts aid in understanding. The attractive layout will encourage browsing. Volume three concludes with an extensive bibliography, including selected fiction; lists of treatment centers; hotlines; annotated Web resources; a glossary with color diagrams; subject and comprehensive indexes; and more. A separate list of resources for younger readers includes books and Web sites. This encyclopedia includes more diagrams and is better organized than Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt’s Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco (Macmillan Reference USA, 2002), written for a slightly younger audience."

"This three-volume set, arranged in A-to-Z format, focuses on drugs that are abused or misused, whether they are illegal or legal. Developed specifically for students, this resource reviews types of drugs, how drugs work, the causes of abuse and addiction, treatments for drug users, and the severe social and family consequences of drug abuse. Articles also cover the cultural, political, and legal issues related to drugs and society. Each volume includes a glossary, index, and resources for further study, including Web resources and hotlines of government and social service agencies. Also in each volume is a drug table that every parent should copy because it has the trade name, street names, and type of each drug covered. This work covers methods of consumption, short-and long-term effects of drug use, and signs and dangers of abuse. Written by experts and practitioners dedicated to drug research and drug treatment—and enhanced with color photographs, diagrams, and key facts about the drugs—it belongs in every middle and high school library, and in public and academic libraries. Social workers, corrections officers, and drug counselors would also find this source useful. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels."

"The encyclopedic "Drugs And Society" series is intended for high school students through young adults, and highly recommended to community library collections as well as school libraries who will want to consider it a standard reference acquisition. Each book in this 3-volume set packs in the latest details in thematic contents which fall into one of three color-coded categories: substances, substance abuse, and society. The arrangement makes it very easy to access virtually instant information on types of drugs, organizations and laws, and social responses. As a basic, quick reference, the "Drugs And Society" instructional reference set delivers important and "user friendly" access for both students and adults seeking the latest details in a format which is informed, informative, and easy to use."

"The focus in this alphabetically arranged encyclopedia is "to provide authoritative information on all aspects of legal and illegal drugs of abuse." Aimed at the high-school level, the topics presented cover the way drugs work in the human body; predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors that lead to both experimental and continual drug use; behaviors that lead to adverse outcomes such as overdose and addiction; and the over arching picture of drug use in society, including legal, political, and social issues. The encyclopedia succeeds in providing comprehensive coverage of its subject, and does so in clear, readable prose and an accessible, attractive format.

Written by subject experts, most with university affiliations, the more than 250 articles fall into one of three thematic categories. "Substances" includes types of drugs (Narcotic drugs ), particular substances ( Cocaine , GHB ), and chemicals natural to the human body ( Serotonin ). The "Substance Abuse" category includes behavioral, physiological, and psychological aspects associated with abuse and addiction; as well as treatment, organizations, and laws. The "Society" category deals with sociological aspects of drug use and abuse, including advertising and cultural values. The themes can be accessed in the "Thematic Contents" section in the front of Volume 1 or identified by color-coding on the top of the first page of each article—blue for "Substances," yellow for "Substance Abuse," and green for "Society." Articles on particular drugs include "Key Facts" sidebars giving drug’s street names, form, dangers, and legal classification in the U.S, and U.K., as well as the International Narcotics Control Board classification. Many articles include full color photographs or captioned schematic artwork detailing how the drugs act and relate to human physiology."