Informed debate on how, why, or even if, drugs and those that use them should be controlled needs an insight into the background of such controls, how effective they have been and what reasonable alternatives there may be. This book seeks to provide such an insight. Reviewing important aspects of past and current drug control policies in Britain and America, the international compliment of expert contributors seek to explore the rationality of the reasoning which produced the initial contr...

"A crucial text for whetting the academic appetite of those studying criminology at university. The comprehensive engagement with key crime and deviance debates and issues make this a perfect springboard for launching into the complex, diverse and exciting realm of researching criminology."- Dr Ruth Penfold-Mounce, University of York"Essential reading for those new to the discipline and an invaluable reference point for those well versed in criminol...

′This is a great resource that reflects the huge expertise of the authors. It will be welcomed by students, researchers and indeed anyone wanting critical but comprehensive coverage of key issues and trends concerning drugs and society - locally and globally, historically and today.′- Nigel South, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex′Provides informative, balanced and contextualized insights into the relationships between people and drugs. Wh...