Dangerous Drugs: An Easy to Use Reference for Parents and Professionals, Second Edition [Paperback]

Carol Falkowski (Author)

Book Description

Series: Hazelden Guidebook | Publication Date: February 25, 2003

In a world where the drug abuse scene is more confusing and dangerous than ever, the 2nd edition of Dangerous Drugs: An Easy to Use Reference for Parents and Professionals is the answer. Now with color photos of drugs and paraphernalia, Dangerous Drugs is a concise, comprehensive, clear, and handy reference that answers your questions at a glance, with:

- Up-to-date information on drugs of abuse
- Demographics of users.
- Explanations of how a drug is used; where it's found and how it affects the mind and body
- The names and forms under which drugs are sold
- Their addictive, lethal, and overdose potential
- Signs of drug abuse and where/how to seek help, and more.

Written in clear language, Dangerous Drugs provides straightforward, authoritative, comprehensive, and up-to-the-minute information. It covers the full range of drugs of abuse, whether illegal (marijuana, heroin, cocaine, LSD, methamphetamine, etc.) or legal (alcohol, prescription, tobacco, or Internet-marketed, herbal remedies). Dangerous Drugs is written for professionals and non-professionals alike, and is a book that no one concerned about drug use can afford to be without.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Carol Falkowski, Director of Research Communications at the Hazelden Foundation, is author of the new reference book, Dangerous Drugs: An Easy-to-Use Reference for Parents and Professionals.For nearly 20 years she has monitored drug abuse trends at the national level, as one of 20 researchers in the country who participates in a drug abuse monitoring network of the National Institute of Drug Abuse.Falkowski advised the US Food and Drug Administration (1995 - 1999) regarding the safety, efficacy, and abuse potential of certain drugs, and has provided consultation to the National Institute of Justice, the National Drug Intelligence Center, Join Together, and numerous states. Before coming to Hazelden in 1997, she was research coordinator at the Minnesota state alcohol and drug abuse authority for 15 years.Falkowski was featured in the 1999 Showtime documentary by Robert Zemeckis, "Smoking, Drinking, and Drugging in the Twentieth Century." She also produced a Hazelden video entitled "Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery: A Research Update." In 2004 she produced "Meth - Shadow Across America" in partnership with Twin Cities Public Television, a documentary about the ravages of meth addiction and the challenges it presents for law enforcement, communities, and treatment professionals.Falkowski makes numerous presentations to professional audiences from the fields of prevention, education, public health, and law enforcement -- and to community groups and parents. She has published numerous articles.Falkowski was the guest expert on CNN LIVE, Talk of the Nation (National Public Radio), and The Jane Pauley Show. Her comments and opinions on drug abuse have appeared in USA TODAY, the New York Times, TIME, Teen People, Cosmopolitan, and numerous daily papers and news broadcasts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Hazelden; Second Edition edition (February 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568389817
• ISBN-13: 978-1568389813
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #761,935 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dangerous Drugs: Second Edition, September 26, 2003

By 

Mark A. Groves (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dangerous Drugs: An Easy to Use Reference for Parents and Professionals, Second Edition (Paperback)

I very much enjoy Carol's book: Dangerous Drugs. I have been working in the human services, substance abuse, corrections fields for more than 25-years. I have been working with young people since 1984. I am a public speaker, traveling thoughout North America speaking with both children and adults about drug prevention. I am an avid reader and researcher. I think this is an excellent, inexpensive, up-to-date reference guide for parents. I am always looking for resources to recommend to parents when they ask me, "What do you recommend? How can I learn about what's available to my kids?"

I find that most parents just don't have the "savy" and time to research "what's what" in the street drug arena. I've found Carol's book to "fit the bill to a T!" For the most part, concerned parents "just want to know what in the heck is going on." They see lots of information on TV, in the newspaper, magazines. They get overwhelmed and overloaded. They don't know how to put all of the pieces together. They get easily confused "Dangerous Drugs: An Easy to Use Reference for Parents and Professionals" does exactly that! It provides straight-forward, easy-to-understand information about drugs.

Sure, there are other books that delve deeper into some of the drug classifications highlighted in Carol's book. Sure, there are certain individuals who can argue whether Carol is using "scare tactics and half truths." But . . . I'm familiar with Carol's work. She is an avid researcher. She believes in giving accurate information. I find this book to have accurate information from cover-to-cover.

If you want an easy-to-use, factual, up-to-date reference guide for understanding drugs of abuse, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it. Don't take my word for it, next time you see a copy of the book, browse through it. I guarantee you will become engrossed. And you can rest assured that Carol carefully researched each and everything she writes about. I think her integrity is next to none. I've got a copy on my desk.

Happy reading!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Valuable easy reference guide, May 8, 2004

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Dangerous Drugs: An Easy to Use Reference for Parents and Professionals, Second Edition (Paperback)

This is an informative reference guide to drug abuse and the substances currently in vogue. The introductory chapters provide an overview of drug and alcohol abuse in the USA, discusses the attractions and harm of abuse, provides the tell-tale signs and symptoms, investigates the question of addiction and supplies guidelines on what to do.

The following chapters deals with individual substances like alcohol, cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin/opiates/narcotics, inhalants/solvents, marijuana, metamphetamine, sedatives/hypnotics and tobacco. Discussions of recently popular substances like Qat and Ketamine are included.

The chapter on other substances includes a section on herbal supplements like Kava Kava, Wormwood, Ma Huang (Ephedra) and other drugs like dextromethorphan and steroids.

The text is illustrated by graphs and there are 18 color plates of the drugs and the paraphernalia. This valuable and helpful guide and reference work concludes with copious notes and an index.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable Source of Info for Parents, October 5, 2003

By 

"163163" (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dangerous Drugs: An Easy to Use Reference for Parents and Professionals, Second Edition (Paperback)

This book gives a clear, informative, and balanced portrayal of "what's up" on the current drug scene -- helps a parent, or anyone, better understand the daily flood of drug news in the media, or what we encounter first hand.

We parents know the drug scene has changed since our high school years, and we need a good, easily read, reference and fact book to bring us up to date. This second edition of Dangerous Drugs serves that need perfectly. Keeps us from just standing there "clueless" while our kids face the ever-changing and growing problem of drug abuse every day.

The color photos of drugs and drug equipment are very helpful, as are the charts at the beginning of each chapter.

EVERYONE concerned about the issues of drug abuse should read this book!