UNIT 1. Living With Drugs 1. Drug Research and Children, Michelle Meadows, FDA Consumer, January/February 2003 Almost 80 percent of drugs have not been approved for pediatric use, but recent studies are providing important information about drug safety and effectiveness for children. Pediatricians say “,it’,s about time.”, 2. Tobacco, Keneth E. Warner, Foreign Policy, May/June 2002 For tobacco control advocates, the tobacco industry is public health enemy number one. Its products will kill 500 million of the 6 billion people living today. 3. Is the Drug War Over? The Declining Proportion of Drug Offenders, Graham Farrell and David E. Carter, Corrections Compendium, February 2003 Is it possible that the drug war has not been the principal reason for recent prison population increases? Could it be that one of the most infamous eras of incarceration in U.S. history is coming to a close? 4. Prescription Drug Abuse Deadlier Than Use of Illegal Drugs, Andis Robeznieks, amednews.com, December 16, 2002 The abuse of prescription drugs is sending more people to the hospital, and in some cities, prescription drug overdoses are killing more people than overdoses of cocaine and heroin. 5. American Banks and the War on Drugs, Stephen Bender, Z Magazine, March 2001 A large portion of U.S. banks’, criminal proceeds, conservatively estimated at $250 billion, is derived from the drug trade. That enormous sum makes U.S. banks the world’,s largest financial beneficiary of the drug trade. 6. Survival of the Druggies, Abbie Thomas, New Scientist, March 2002 If taking drugs is so bad for us, why do so many do it? Two anthropologists argue that these drugs may have been part of our ancestors’, survival strategy.
UNIT 2. Understanding How Drugs Work—,Use, Dependency, and Addiction 7. Beyond the Pleasure Principle, Laura Helmuth, Science, November 2, 2001 Drugs make us feel good—,but they are addicting because they “,co-opt memory and motivation systems.”, When it comes to breaking a drug habit, going through withdrawal may be just the beginning. Long-term consequences of drug use include effects on nonconscious memory systems that induce cravings. 8. It’,s a Hard Habit to Break, Jocelyn Selim, Discover, October 2001 Researchers are studying all types of addiction—,not just to heavy drugs such as cocaine but also to such things as eating, gambling, and the Internet. This article discusses the similarities among these different cravings. 9. The End of Craving, Michael Abrams, Discover, May 2003 A controversial new anti-addictive drug is being studied. Made from the bark of the root of an African shrub, it may signal the end to craving. 10. Hungry for the Next Fix, Stanton Peele, Reason, May 2002 Stanton Peele argues that the relentless medical search to cure addiction is misguided and that the primary responsibility for recovery lies in the mind of the addict. 11. A New Treatment for Addiction, Etienne Benson, Monitor on Psychology, June 2003 The approval by the FDA of a new medication may reshape the landscape of opiate addiction treatment. Can it help the more than 1 million Americans who need it? 12. Finding the Future Alcoholic, Steven Stocker, The Futurist, May/June 2002 Scientists may soon be able to identify children who are likely to become alcoholics. But will society be able to prevent their addiction? 13. Drug Abuse in the Balance, Etienne Benson, Monitor on Psychology, January 2003 Researchers, regulators, and drug developers met recently to evaluate the current state of drug-abuse liability assessment. This article discusses some key questions about how to best determine the potential for a drug’,s abuse. 14. In the Grip of a Deeper Pain, Jerry Adler, Newsweek, October 20, 2003 For people with chronic pain, synthetic opioids are a wonderful gift, for other people, they are a prescription for abuse.
UNIT 3. The Major Drugs of Use and Abuse 15. Is Pot Good for You?, John Cloud, Time, November 4, 2002 Some recent research suggests that the health risks from occasional marijuana use are slight, and marijuana just might ease nausea or pain. This article discusses some of the newest findings on marijuana’,s side effects. 16. The Dangers of Diet Pills, Jennifer Pirtle, Ladies’, Home Journal, June 2003 Diet pills may be sold in health-food shops and drugstores, but that does not mean they are safe. “,Not only are some weight-loss supplements ineffective, some are out-right harmful—,even lethal.”, 17. Why Rx May Spell Danger: ‘,Do You Know the Difference Between Use and Abuse of Prescription Medicines?’,, Kathiann M. Kowalski, Current Health 2, April/May 2003 Taking and mixing levels of prescription medicines have triggered a diverse array of drug-taking liabilities. What you should know about the term “,by prescription only.”, 18. Addicted to Anti-Depressants?, Stephen Fried, Glamour, April 2003 Although for many patients Paxil, a top-selling antidepressant, works amazingly well, others say that getting off the drug has involved true withdrawal. Why weren’,t they warned? 19. When Drinking Helps, Janet Raloff, Science News, March 8, 2003 One person’,s therapeutic nip may prove to be another’,s mistake. “,With dozens of conflicting reports spilling out each year, is it any wonder that the public is confused about alcohol and health?”, 20. Binge Drinking Holds Steady: College Students Continue to Drink Despite Programs, Alvin Powell, Harvard University Gazette, April 4, 2002 In spite of numerous programs targeting drinking by college students, the rate of binge drinking has stayed consistent for the past 10 years. This article discusses the forces that have long propelled this phenomenon. 21. More Than a Kick, Kendall Morgan, Science News, March 22, 2003 Scientists generally attribute nicotine’,s power to the activity it stimulates in the brain. This article discusses som
