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This book appears in the following booklists

• Drugs - History & Culture

in categories:History & Biography, Health & Wellbeing, Media & Culture,

Drugs - Without the Hot Air

by David Nutt
£12.99   paperback  UIT Cambridge (2012)

David Nutt is the government scientist who was sacked for comparing the harms of horse-riding and taking ecstasy. In straightforward language, he explores the science of what a drug is and how it works, why people take drugs, and how it affects them.
 
His approach is evidence based. His central theme is that all drugs are harmful, from tobacco to heroin; that not all drugs harm equally; that we have to measure all the different harms of each drug. Then we can make informed decisions regarding our choice of lifestyle, and policymakers can take a rational approach to legislation on alcohol, cocaine, heroin, tobacco etc.
 
It's also necessary to consider the potential therapeutic and other benefits of some drugs that are currently illegal. Trials have shown that ecstasy could be effective in treating PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), LSD might have a role in treating addiction, and heroin is the most effective painkiller we know of, but it's not allowed to be used even for extreme pain in cases of terminal illness.
 
This accessible book is written in plain English for the general reader. It is relevant for:
 
* Anyone interested in drugs.
* People who take drugs.
* Parents and children and young people. Young people are very able to see through media spin and political posturings and "adult hypocrisy". By giving them objective information they are more likely to take on board and behave intelligently.
* Those who have to work with the consequences of drugs in our society: Teachers.
Doctors.
Social workers.
Politicians.
The police and the legal profession.

ISBN 13: 9781906860165 | ISBN 10: 1906860165