Provides an overview of the problem of drug abuse in the U.S., looks at how drugs affect the brain, body, and behavior, discusses drugs and society, examines the war on drugs, and considers the question of whether drugs should be legalized. Includes primary and secondary source quotations, sidebars, and study questions.

A comprehensive introduction to methamphetamine that examines history and impact of the drug on people and society, and describes the physical and psychological effects the drug has on individuals, treatment options, and related topics.

Discusses the illegal use of heroin as a narcotic, describing how it is taken and its physical effects on the body, especially on the veins.

After a fatal car accident that reveals Emory's brother Joey's opioid addiction, Emory struggles to help him on his road to recovery and make herself heard in a town that insists on not listening.

"Leah Carroll's mother, a gifted amateur photographer, was murdered by two drug dealers with Mafia connections when Leah was four years old. Her father, a charming alcoholic who hurtled between depression and mania, was dead by the time she was eighteen. Why did her mother have to die? Why did the man who killed her receive such a light sentence? What darkness did Leah inherit from her parents? Leah was left to put together her own future and, now...

Bird, an artistic young African American boy, expresses himself through drawing as he struggles to understand his older brother's drug addiction and death, while a family friend, Uncle Son, provides guidance and understanding.

Discusses the effect of marijuana on humans and the value of avoiding its use.

Discusses how cocaine and crack affect the mind and body and presents a brief history of cocaine use.