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Marijuana is the world's most popular illicit drug, with hundreds of millions of regular users worldwide. One in three Americans has smoked pot at least once. The Drug Enforcement Agency estimates that Americans smoke five million pounds of marijuana each year. And yet marijuana remains largely misunderstood by both its advocates and its detractors. To some, marijuana is an insidious "stepping-stone" drug, enticing the inexperienced and paving the way to the inevitable abuse of harder drugs. To others, medical marijuana is an organic means of easing the discomfort or stimulating the appetite of the gravely ill. Others still view marijuana, like alcohol, as a largely harmless indulgence, dangerous only when used immoderately. All sides of the debate have appropriated the scientific evidence on marijuana to satisfy their claims. What then are we to make of these conflicting portrayals of a drug with historical origins dating back to 8,000 B.C.?Understanding Marijuana examines the biological, psychological, and societal impact of this controversial substance. What are the effects, for mind and body, of long-term use? Are smokers of marijuana more likely than non-users to abuse cocaine and heroine? What effect has the increasing potency of marijuana in recent years had on users and on use? Does our current legal policy toward marijuana make sense? Earleywine separates science from opinion to show how marijuana defies easy dichotomies. Tracing the medical and political debates surrounding marijuana in a balanced, objective fashion, this book will be the definitive primer on our most controversial and widely used illicit substance.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• 1 Highlights in the History of Cannabis
• 2 Cannabis Use and Misuse
• 3 Stepping Stones, Gateways, and the Prevention of Drug Problems
• 4 Marijuana's Impact on Thought and Memory
• 5 Subjective Effects
• 6 Cannabis Pharmacology
• 7 Marijuana's Health Effects
• 8 Medical Marijuana
• 9 Social Problems: Amotivational Syndrome, Reckless Driving, and Aggression
• 10 Law and Policy
• 11 Treatment for Marijuana Problems
• 12 Final Thoughts

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CHOICE Review

Although marijuana is considered the world's most popular illicit drug, it remains misunderstood by many people, including both its advocates and prohibitionists who have generated considerable rhetorical smoke over the long-standing marijuana dispute. Earleywine (director, clinical training in psychology, Univ. of Southern California) has contributed a well-balanced, up-to-date, and scholarly overview of this controversial and illegal controlled substance--known variously as marijuana, cannabis, and ganja--and the scientific evidence of its biological, psychological, and societal impacts. The author's careful analysis of the numerous and often conflicting studies of the drug provides unbiased answers to issues such as: Is marijuana a "gateway" to harder substances like cocaine or heroin? What are its effects on aggression, motivation, and short-term memory? Is there a justification for medical marijuana? Earleywine's highly readable book clears up some common marijuana myths and helps readers to better evaluate and understand the current cannabis debate. This volume will be a welcome addition to college and university libraries. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through professionals. P. Wermager University of Hawaii at Manoa

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Clinical Science and Director of Clinical Training in Psychology at the University of Southern California. He has received nine teaching awards for his courses on drugs and human behavior and is a leading researcher in psychology and addictions. He is Associate Editor of The Behavior Therapist.