Written at a level accessible to the beginning undergraduate, this reference handbook reviews information regarding abuse of legal and illegal substances in the United States. The handbook provides a historical and topical overview of legal and illegal drugs, reviews contemporary issues of substance abuse prevention and treatment; offers comparative discussion of how substance abuse is viewed and treated globally; presents a historical chronology; provides 21 biographical sketches of selected individuals involved with the issue (e.g. Pablo Escobar, Aldous Huxley, Nancy Reagan, C. Everett Coop, and William Bennett); presents legal and government documents and data on drug use; lists governmental, academic, private, and professional organizations relevant to the topic; and provides a guide to print and nonprint information resources. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)