More than 50 million Americans have tried this most widely used of all illicit drugs. About 13 million Americans, including one-third of all high school seniors, regularly use marijuana. Despite this widespread usage, the drug still remains a negative symbol to more traditional Americans who associate its use with 'hippies' and the rejection of established values. Marijuana use has had an enormous impact on American culture, and as such it is vital to understand the nature and the effects of this drug. This book provides an objective, up-to-date look at the scientific, social, and personal aspects of marijuana -- its history, cultural impact, psychological and physical effects, dangers, legal status, and the pros and cons of the legalization issue.

The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs answers the questions that young people are likely to ask about drugs, as well as those they might not think to ask, but should. Topics include: what it means to be intoxicated; how drugs affect mood; why people take drugs; who takes them; when they take them; and how much they take. They will learn what happens to a drug when it enters the body. They will learn what it means to get 'hooked' and how it happens. They will learn how drugs affect their driving, their school work and those around them -- their peers, their family, their friends, and their employers. They will learn what the signs are that indicate that a friend or a family member may have a drug problem and to identify four stages leading from drug use to drug abuse.