NCJ Number
60580
Editor(s)
R C PETERSEN
Date Published
1978
Length
352 pages
Annotation
WRITTEN FOR THE SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY, THESE PAPERS BY PSYCHIATRISTS ATTENDING AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE.
Abstract
TOPICS COVERED IN THE CONFERENCE INCLUDE: (1) DRUG ABUSE IN NIGERIA WHERE THE KOLA NUT (CONTAINING CAFFEINE) IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED DRUG, BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR ALCOHOL ABUSE IS INCREASING; (2) THE MEXICAN DRUG ABUSE EXPERIENCE, WITH MOST URBAN DRUG ABUSERS FAVORING MARIJUANA; (3) DRUG ABUSE IN BURMA AND THE HISTORY OF OPIUM ABUSE IN PARTICULAR; (4) DRUG ABUSE IN IRAN, PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY OF SHIRAZ; (5) DRUG USE IN BOLIVIA, WHICH INVOLVES PRIMARILY COCAINE; AND (6) DRUG ABUSE IN INDONESIA FROM A CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE. ACTIVITIES OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND THE UNITED NATIONS IN COMBATING THE DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, ARE DESCRIBED. IN ADDITION, NUMEROUS PAPERS CONCENTRATE ON THE BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DRUG DEPENDENCE, ADDRESSING THE BIO-SOCIO CONSIDERATIONS IN DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT, BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY OF NARCOTIC ANTAGONISTS, PLASMA TESTOSTERONE LEVELS DURING CHRONIC HEROIN USE AND PROTRACTED ABSTINENCE, AND DRUG DEPENDENCE STUDIES IN LABORATORY ANIMALS. FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PSYCHOBIOLOGY OF DRUG ABUSE CONCERNS THE RELATIONSHIP OF ENDORPHINS, LITHIUM, AND NALOXONE TO PATHOLOGICAL STATES. METHODS OF TREATMENT ARE ALSO DISCUSSED, SUCH AS EARLY CLINICAL STUDIES OF LEVO-ALPHA ACETYLMETHADOL (LAAM), THE OPIATE AGONIST FOR USE IN THE MEDICAL TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEROIN DEPENDENCE; A U.S. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION COOPERATIVE STUDY ON METHADYL ACETATE; AND FURTHER STUDIES ON LAAM. FINALLY, THE USE OF NALTREXONE IN THE TREATMENT OF NARCOTIC ADDICTION IS DETAILED, FOCUSING ON THE HISTORICAL TRENDS IN NALTREXONE RESEARCH AND THE FUTURE OF NALTREXONE USE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OR REFERENCE NOTES ACCOMPANY MOST PAPERS, ALONG WITH GRAPHS, TABULAR DATA, OR ILLUSTRATIONS. (WJR)