Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Charles F. Levinthal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 7, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0205323669 | ISBN-13: 978-0205323661 | Edition: 3

Organized categorically and based on solid research, Levinthal introduces many of the controversies related to drug use and abuse with a focus on health and prevention With a strong emphasis on prevention and education, this book covers the effects of abuse from a biological, psychological, sociological, and health perspective. Solid research supports the frank and informative manner in which the material is presented to readers. The book addresses drug-related topics in every aspect of life with information on inhalants, over-the-counter drugs, nicotine, caffeine, and more. For students, or people working with drug related topics in the fields of psychology and health.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Organized categorically and based on solid research, Levinthal introduces many of the controversies related to drug use and abuse with a focus on health and prevention With a strong emphasis on prevention and education, this book covers the effects of abuse from a biological, psychological, sociological, and health perspective. Solid research supports the frank and informative manner in which the material is presented to readers. The book addresses drug-related topics in every aspect of life with information on inhalants, over-the-counter drugs, nicotine, caffeine, and more. For students, or people working with drug related topics in the fields of psychology and health.

About the Author

Dr. Charles F. Levinthal is Chair of the Department of Psychology and Professor of Psychology at Hofstra University, where he has taught and conducted research since 1971, having received his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Michigan. He is author of fifteen books, including Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society, 7th ed. (2012), Drugs, Society, and Criminal Justice, 3rd ed. (2012), Point/Counterpoint: Opposing Perspectives on Issues of Drug Policy (2003), Introduction to Physiological Psychology, 3rd ed. (1990), and Messengers of Paradise: Opiates and the Brain (1988). Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society has been published in Korean (2008), and Messengers of the Paradise: Opiates and the Brain has been published in Spanish (1989) and Japanese (1991). His present research interests include issues in substance abuse and dependence, clinical neuropsychology, and cognitive decision-making. Dr. Levinthal presented the Hofstra University Distinguished Faculty Lecture in 1987 and was voted by the graduating Class of 2003 as Distinguished Teacher of the Year. Dr. Levinthal was elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in 2010.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 3 edition (June 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205323669
• ISBN-13: 978-0205323661
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,836 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Charles F. Levinthal is Chair of the Department of Psychology and Professor of Psychology at Hofstra University, where he has taught and conducted research since 1971, having received his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Michigan. He is author of fifteen books, including Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society, 7th ed. (2011), Drugs, Society, and Criminal Justice, 3rd ed. (2011), Point/Counterpoint: Opposing Perspectives on Issues of Drug Policy (2003), Introduction to Physiological Psychology, 3rd ed. (1990), and Messengers of Paradise: Opiates and the Brain (1988). Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society has been published in Korean (2008), and Messengers of the Paradise: Opiates and the Brain has been published in Spanish (1989) and Japanese (1991). His present research interests include issues in substance abuse and dependence, clinical neuropsychology, and cognitive decision-making. Dr. Levinthal presented the Hofstra University Distinguished Faculty Lecture in 1987 and was voted by the graduating Class of 2003 as Distinguished Teacher of the Year. Dr. Levinthal was elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in 2010.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great overview for undergraduates, August 25, 2000

By 

Dr Mitchell Earleywine "Dr. Mitch" (Albany, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society (Paperback)

I use this text in my undergraduate course 'Drugs and HumanBehavior' at USC. The students like it. The pictures are great. Everything's explained in clear language. The references are up to date, chapters are well organized, and the reviews are comprehensive.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Drugs textbook, February 21, 2011

By 

medicleigh - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society (6th Edition) (Paperback)

Great textbook! Very easy to read and understand. Very well written and informative. Includes lots of information on other helpful and interesting resources. Most helpful textbook I've had in a while.

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, February 20, 2012

By 

Xanadu (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society (7th Edition) (Paperback)

I am an undergraduate reading this text for my "Drugs and Behavior" course. I don't usually write reviews, but this particular text struck a chord in me.

At some points the text does a good job of giving a basic overview of the effects of drugs on the body, but the perspective throughout is skewed: The historiography of drugs that he constructs is decidedly biased, while the physiological and psychological effects of the drugs listed are selective.

Take the section on MDMA, for instance,

"The physical health concerns with respect to Ecstasy center on its short-term and long-term toxicity. Acute effects [are] severe hypothermia...dehydration...and long term cognitive impairments and emotional difficulties. Heavy and prolonged Ecstasy use can produce confusion, anxiety, sleep problems, reductions in impulse control, and declines in memory and attention"

Mysteriously absent are the well-documented subjective effects on the mind of euphoria, DECREASED anxiety, increased sense of well-being and empathy. Actually, to the author's credit he did mention something about MDMA being explored in the 1980s as a therapeutic drug but concluded by saying that:

"Eventually, after several years of hesitations and reversals, the Drug Enforcement Administration put MDMA permanently on the Schedule I list of controlled substances, indicating that there is no accepted medical application for the drug"

And then he simply ends it there mentioning nothing further of the debate or putting one of those "Drugs...in focus" background/anecdotal boxes on the proceeding page that he is so fond of. That section is just one example representing a theme of the whole story not being presented about many drugs and multiple views on established scientific debates about the effects of drugs being absent. Thus, I have been left with a feeling that it is not a particularly academic book, which is confusing because it seems to be marketed toward undergraduate courses.

Other sections were simply bizarre, like "hexing drugs and witchcraft" [referencing the anticholiergic hallucinogenic drug "atropine" derived from the Atropa belladonna plant): "Witches were reputed to have prepared these mixtures as ointments and rubbed them on their bodies and on broomsticks, which they straddled. The chemicals would have been easily absorbed through the skin and the membranes of the vagina. The Halloween image of a witch flying on a broomstick has been with us ever since". Reputed by whom? No source listed. I have been left to conclude that the author simply made it up.

The general tone of the text to me seemed to convey the message that "this is the way drugs are and this is the way they function on your body, and they are generally a scourge upon society" While, I have often found myself wishing it was more: "Actually, drugs and their history of interaction with the human race is extremely complex, and for as much as we have learned about them so far, there is still much to learn and as a result there is still a lot of scientific and political debate about their form and function" Anyway, those are just my two cents.