Drugs and Society

Drugs and Society, 15th Edition provides a multidisciplinary examination of how drug use and abuse affect average individuals. The textbook blends concepts from pharmacology and sociology with insights from research, treatment, and policy to clarify substance issues across contemporary society.

Coverage traces historical and legal foundations, analyzing prohibition policies such as the Harrison Tax Act and their specific effects on special populations. It examines modern crises, focusing on rising American overdose deaths linked to prescription opioids and illicit fentanyl mixed into counterfeit pills. The text also details methamphetamine resurgence and trafficking routes from Mexico, updated state laws reclassifying marijuana for medical or recreational use, and FDA regulatory actions governing e-cigarettes and tobacco products.

Integrated Holding the Line vignettes encourage students to evaluate how government interventions address drug problems. This textbook fits undergraduate courses in public health, education, and social sciences seeking a grounded entry point to substance study without requiring advanced prerequisites.