Drugs: A Very Short Introduction

• Covers both medicinal and recreational drugs
• Discusses the history of drug use from ancient times
• Explains the facts about how drugs work, including alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, as well as beta-blockers, antidepressants, and painkillers
• Explains how therapeutic drugs are developed and tested, and how the drug industry works
• Explores political, legal, medical, and social aspects of recreational drug-taking, and gives opinions about legalization of drugs such as cannabis
• Leslie Iversen's previous books include The Science of Marijuana

Leslie Iversen, Professor of Pharmacology, University of Oxford

"The chapters are easy to dip into, but the book as a whole reads well and is short enough to read cover to cover. . . The book is up to date" - Chemistry in Britain 01/03/2002

"I found the text very informative . . . this book succeeds as a general introduction to drugs in medicine abd society, and should have wide appeal to both scientists and non-scientists. It is also good value for money." - Chemistry in Britain 01/03/2002

"illuminating" - TNT Magazine, 17/01/2001

"a vade-mecum of drugs of all kinds, bursting with facts presented succintly in a user-friendly style that will make it a favourite reference for many people not otherwise versed in the sciences. Highly recommended." - Gill Ewing, Nurturing Potential

1: History
2: How drugs work
3: The medical uses of drugs
4: Recreational drugs
5: The making of a new medicine
6: How twentieth-century medicines have changed our lives, and prospects for the future
Further reading

Drugs: A Very Short Introduction - a reading guide