Matters of Substance: Drugs--And Why Everyone's a User

by Griffith Edwards

Book Overview

Why do people, countries, and centuries experience the same drug differently--and how should this affect the choices we make on drug control? "Matters of Substance" presents a new and lucid approach... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 031242583X
• ISBN13: 9780312425838
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Picador USA
• Length: 314 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

It's very helpful to view drugs in ecological terms. Great book.

Matters of Substance is the most insightful book I've ever read on drugs. Edwards never inflames, and never understates. He looks far and wide at many cultures and countries, and never lets popular myths or received attitudes dictate his opinions. On cannabis, for instance, he stands resolutely against the libertarian stream and points out hypocrisy on the left between nicotine and cannabis attitudes. With cocaine, on the other hand, he lays much of the blame for the epidemic of the 1980s on the medical community, who over-prescribed the drug in powder form in the 50s, creating an environment ready for a designer drug.