The use of cocaine has become a significant part of the recreational drug scene among college students. A historical overview of cocaine is presented that begins with the history of the coca plant and includes discussion of how prominent physicians experimented with the drug on themselves and their patients. (Author/DF)

Knowledge about cocaine's effect on the human mind and body is limited and not clearly documented. This article discusses various biological and psychological effects of the drug based on clinical and laboratory studies of man. (Author/DF)

Two studies of perceived and actual drug use at Simon Fraser University found students estimating greater drug use among friends than for themselves, but 31 percent reported dependence and 5 percent reported current addiction, especially to caffeine and nicotine. An approach to drug abuse focusing on familiar substances is recommended. (MSE)

Presents critical details emerging from scientific studies of the biochemical processes inside the brain related to drug addiction. (WRM)

This research investigated the prevalence of mystical experiences and how these experiences relate to beliefs about drug addiction, drug use, and spiritual practices. Subjects were 300 undergraduate and graduate students at a large midwestern university who filled out self-report scales on mysticism (Ralph W. Hood, Jr.'s Mysticism Scale) and drug…

This book is intended for high school and college courses in which personal issues related to addictive problems and substance abuse are a significant focus; the readings and exercises may be of use in teaching such a course as well as helping the student. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to drug and alcohol abuse. It examines recent…

This study was concerned with the measurement characteristics of an instrument which can be used to measure attitudes toward drug users and drug usage. Results suggest that the Drug Perception Scale is useful in measuring impacts representing important aspects of most drug education programs. (Author/GK)

Used a revised alcohol scale to estimate what college students (N=692) would consider to be addiction to alcohol and drugs. The median number of yes answers was computed for alcohol nonusers, users and drug users and nonusers. Overall, students were very liberal in their opinions. (JAC)

A collection of articles about methaqualone (also known as quaalude or mequin) is presented. Article 1 discusses the increasing popularity of the depressant, methaqualone-produced psychophysiological effects, substitute drugs (valium, phenobarbitol, benadryl, and mandrax), overdose and addiction, and decreasing pharmaceutical production. Article 2…

The document presents a collection of articles about inhalant abuse. Article 1 presents findings on the psychophysiological effects related to the use of amyl or butyl nitrate as a "recreational drug." Article 2 suggests a strong association between chronic sniffing of the solvent toulene and irreversible brain damage. Article 3 warns…

The document presents a collection of articles about "lookalike drugs." Article 1 presents readers with a look at "peashooters" (lookalike drugs which are usually replicas of pharmaceutical amphetamines, but increasingly used to describe simulations of cocaine and prescription downers). Lookalikes, although usually legal, are…

A national survey of pharmacy faculty (n=1,326) found widespread current alcohol use, 2 percent diagnosed or undiagnosed self-reported alcoholism, and "drinking problems" in 3 percent. Prior recreational drug use was reported by 32 percent, current use 4 percent. Some reported drug addiction or abuse problems. Alcohol use rates are similar to…

The document presents a collection of articles about LSD. The first article discusses the increasingly popular use of blotter acid (tiny squares of absorbent paper soaked in liquid LSD). Article 2 furthers this look at the newer LSD formats and describes rumors of lick-'n-stick stamps and color-transfer tattoos as examples of techniques aimed at…

The National Collegiate Drug Awareness Week 1988 (conceived and initiated by the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Issues) began with a Kick-Off Conference of educators that provided students and professionals an opportunity to share ideas and experiences. One-page abstracts of 17 conference presentations are as follows:…

This report is the 11th in an annual series reporting the drug use and related attitudes of America's high school seniors and young adults. The findings, which cover the high school classes of 1975 through 1987, come from an ongoing national research and reporting program entitled "Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles…