UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances

Published by U·X·L

This set provides detailed information on 52 drugs and other addictive substances, defined as illegal drugs, legal addictive drugs and other substances as well as commonly abused classes of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Arranged alphabetically by official name, each entry follows the same format, allowing students to easily compare and contrast different drugs. Similar in scope to Gale's Drugs and Controlled Substances for Students, this set provides information in an objective manner that is appropriate for middle school students. Statistics highlight each entry and sidebars provide information on the legal, historical or social aspects of the particular drug. Difficult words are defined within the text and are included in the "Words to Know" section.

Each entry includes:

Official and street name
Classification
Historical background and current impact
Chemical/organic composition
Ingestion methods
Therapeutic uses
Usage trends
Effects
Treatment and rehabilitation
And more

Also included in this work are:

An Alternative Table of Contents (cross-referencing street names of drugs with the official entry name)
Chronology of Events
For More Information (which includes books, periodicals, Web sites, and organization names/contact information)
Highlights of the Controlled Substances Act
Master Index

Review:

"This five-volume encyclopedia provides important insights into the history, usage trends, and effects of a variety of drugs and controlled substances. This useful reference provides a wealth of information for those wishing to know more about commonly used and abused drugs. While designed with middle school students in mind, it would make [a] nice addition to most high school, college, and public libraries."
--ARBA, March 2007