The estimated cost of drug abuse in the United States exceeds 190 billion dollars, and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence estimates that 20 million Americans ages 12 or older have used an illegal drug in the past 30 days. This timely book explores the issue of drug abuse. Readers are provided with balanced and thoughtful information on related topics such as how drugs affect behavior and the brain, how drug abuse affects society, and whether drugs should be legalized or not.