Publisher's Synopsis
Drugs and substances of abuse are used both medically and personally for their specific actions on the central nervous system - psychodepressant, psychostimulant, and psychodelic actions - by children, adolescents, and adults across North America. This use, which often is illegal, can be associated with serious physical, psychological, and social consequences. ""Pagliaros' Comprehensive Guide to Drugs and Substances of Abuse"" includes more than 100 monographs - 11 of them new - dealing with each of the major drugs and substances of abuse used in North America, from acetone to zopiclone. All the information has been completely revised from the first edition. Each monograph lists generic synonyms, brand or trade names, chemical names, 'street' names, and pharmacologic classification. After a brief overview of the drug or substance of abuse, with attention to its source, history, and patterns of use, the following key features are clearly and concisely presented.It covers: available dosage forms and common routes and methods of administration; mechanisms of action and related pharmacology; currently approved indications for medical use; desired actions or reasons for personal use; toxicity, including acute and chronic adverse effects; potential for physical and psychological dependence; related withdrawal syndromes, including signs and symptoms; and, information concerning overdosage and its general management, including the availability of specific antidotes.
