Overview

Prescription, illicit, and recreational drugs touch all of our lives yet a basic understanding of these chemicals is largely absent among Americans. Jerrold Winter offers a comprehensive account of psychoactive drugs, chemicals which influence our brains in myriad ways. Manifestations of their influence on the brain are quite varied. There may be the comfort provided by opioids to those who are dying or in pain or, in everyday life, the surge of contentment for the users of caffeine, nicotine, heroin, alcohol, or marijuana upon the taking of their drug of choice. Turning to the more exotic, a drug such as LSD may alter the way the world looks to us; it may even inspire thoughts of God. Adding to the purely scientific questions which confront us are the ways in which our society chooses to respond to the presence of psychoactive drugs. Should they be banned and their users sent to prison, tolerated as a reflection of man's eternal search for an escape from anxiety, pain, and the monotony of daily life, or celebrated as therapeutically useful agents? Our Love Affair with Drugs is written for experts and novices alike. There are stories of, for example, how Timothy Leary caused the repeal of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. Readers will learn of the transformation by Sir Charles Locock of a drug intended to dampen female sexual activity into the first effective drug for the treatment of the ancient disease of epilepsy. Alexander Shulgin's love of psychoactive drugs and his unconventional research practices illuminate the story of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a.k.a. Ecstasy, a drug now likely to find value in treating veterans and others suffering post-traumatic distress disorder. Winter links the excitement of drug discovery with the very practical matter of balancing the benefits and risks of these drugs.

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9780190051464

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Reviews

"""I am amazed at how much Professor Winter has packed into these pages! One couldn't ask for a more concise, efficient transfer of vital information, a treasure trove of details about how drugs work in the brain, their place in history and in modern society. A pleasure to read."" -- Julie Holland, MD, Editor, Ecstasy: The Complete Guide and The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis ""This book is timely in its discussions of drug abuse and, particularly, the opiate crisis. This is a significant and original contribution"" -- Jie Jack Li, author of Top Drugs: Their History, Pharmacology, and Syntheses ""A fascinating exploration of the range of effects of various psychopharmacological compounds, their remarkable histories and implications to the modern world. It is a beautifully written book with compelling insights into the role these substances have played throughout time and the lessons learned that provide valuable direction for the path that lies ahead."" -- Charles S. Grob, UCLA School of Medicine ""Winter is an expert and takes strong command of the topic. This book is unique for many reasons-its contemporary relevance, the political significance of the topic matter, and the author's background in the field."" -- Muhammad H. Zaman, author of Bitter Pills: The Global War on Counterfeit Drugs ""A highly readable book by one of the world's leading experts on the biology of drug effects. His broad perspective places those effects in a larger context by discussing the many non-drug factors-political, legal, ethical-that influence them. Full of information, it is at the same time accessible to the general reader."" -- Rick Strassman, author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research Into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences ""Winter clearly introduces the concepts of pharmacology, history, science, politics, and their intersections. An excellent introduction for anyone wishing to learn more about the science of drugs and the role they've played in influencing culture and policy over the last century."" -- Rick Doblin, Founder and Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies ""An entertaining and very readable individual account of psychoactive drugs, well infused with wisdom drawn from a lifetime in science."" -- David Nutt, author of Drugs Without the Hot Air: Making Sense of Legal and Illegal Drugs"

An entertaining and very readable individual account of psychoactive drugs, well infused with wisdom drawn from a lifetime in science. * David Nutt, author of Drugs Without the Hot Air: Making Sense of Legal and Illegal Drugs * Winter clearly introduces the concepts of pharmacology, history, science, politics, and their intersections. An excellent introduction for anyone wishing to learn more about the science of drugs and the role they've played in influencing culture and policy over the last century. * Rick Doblin, Founder and Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies * A highly readable book by one of the world's leading experts on the biology of drug effects. His broad perspective places those effects in a larger context by discussing the many non-drug factors-political, legal, ethical-that influence them. Full of information, it is at the same time accessible to the general reader. * Rick Strassman, author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research Into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences * Winter is an expert and takes strong command of the topic. This book is unique for many reasons-its contemporary relevance, the political significance of the topic matter, and the author's background in the field. * Muhammad H. Zaman, author of Bitter Pills: The Global War on Counterfeit Drugs * A fascinating exploration of the range of effects of various psychopharmacological compounds, their remarkable histories and implications to the modern world. It is a beautifully written book with compelling insights into the role these substances have played throughout time and the lessons learned that provide valuable direction for the path that lies ahead. * Charles S. Grob, UCLA School of Medicine * This book is timely in its discussions of drug abuse and, particularly, the opiate crisis. This is a significant and original contribution * Jie Jack Li, author of Top Drugs: Their History, Pharmacology, and Syntheses *

Author Information

Jerrold Winter, PhD, professor of pharmacology and toxicology in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo Jerrold Winter, PhD, is professor of pharmacology and toxicology in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has taught on the principles of pharmacology, the elements of addiction, and the drug treatment of anxiety, depression, and psychosis to graduate and medical students. He has published more than one hundred scientific articles, and he is the author of two books: True Nutrition True Fitness and Optimal Aging.

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