A decade of professional research on drug abuse has produced both an abundance of materials and a vocabulary that is not shared by planners, clinicians, and policy makers. This handbook compiles the major developments of the period and their treatment and research implications in a style intended to be understood by all three types of professionals. Over 40 authors surveyed the literature in their own area of expertise, often including their own viewpoints and recommendations. The nine sections of the book range from the history of the field through treatment modalities, as well as specific methods for specialized needs; specific drugs or classes of drugs; drug use from both a psychosocial and epidemiological perspective; the special issues of management, training, and prevention; and a section on research prospects and an assessment of future direction of the field. (Author/LS)