Drugs: A Very Short Introduction

Product Description

The twentieth century saw a remarkable upsurge of research on drugs with major advances in the treatment of bacterial & viral infections heart disease stomach ulcers cancer & 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 & abuse of drugs in the Western world This Very Short Introduction in its second edition gives a non-technical account of how drugs work in the body Reviewing both legal (alcohol nicotine & caffeine) & illegal drugs Les Iversen discusses why some are addictive & whether drug laws need reform ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable