Neither a just say no treatise nor a how-to manual, this easy-to-read handbook is based on the conviction that well-informed people make better decisions. It provides information on how drugs enter the body, how they manipulate the brain, their short- and long-term effects, the high they produce and the circumstances in which they can be deadly. psychological and pharmacological research on drugs. Whether the reader is a student confronted by drugs for the first time, an accountant reaching for another cup of coffee, or a health educator, this book aims to provide a clear understanding of how drugs work and the consequences of their use.