Review by Choice Review
Stating that there is no topic of greater concern to health professionals or the public, the editors attempt to link conceptually brain mechanisms of cocaine use with historical, psychological, and social perspectives. They are only partly successful in accomplishing this goal. The early chapters of the book put the current epidemic of cocaine abuse into a historical framework and identify populations at risk for abuse. The next five chapters emphasize the biochemical perspective. The last chapter explores the development of cocaine addiction and the withdrawal syndrome. Readers familiar with human physiology and neural biochemistry will welcome this work. Those with less scientific background will struggle to understand the mass of complex and detailed information. However, the volume does weave those details into a broader perspective that will enhance understanding of the complexities of cocaine use and abuse. Well-written and extensively referenced, this work is appropriate for senior-level undergraduates and graduate students who have a strong background in cellular biology and chemistry and a commitment to understanding drug use and abuse. -T. D. Delapp, University of Alaska, Anchorage
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
