Understanding Drug Use and Abuse

Benjamin P. Bowser is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at California State University East Bay, USA. Carl O. Word is Professor of Clinical Psychology at Argosy University, USA.   Toby Seddon is Professor of Law and Director of Research in the School of Law at the University of Manchester, UK.

PART I: INTRODUCTION.- 1. Substance Abuse: a Growing Social Problem.- 2. Scope of the Issue: Prevalence of Drug Abuse.- 3. Prohibition of Alcohol and Opiates.- 4. Social Marketing Perspective.- PART II: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES.- 5. Sociological Perspectives.- 6. Criminological Perspectives.- 7. Psychological Perspectives.- 8. Physiological Perspectives.-PART III: RESPONSES.- 9. Public Policy: Criminal Justice Responses.- 10. Public Policy: Public Health Responses.- 11. Prevention.- 12. Treatment.- PART IV: CONCLUSION.- 13. Recommendations and Afterthoughts.