Rating: 
Summary: The single best book on mind altering drugs
Review: This book covers almost all the information you could want toknow about mind-altering substances. It includes a history of drugsand drug use. It has user reports, lists side effects, has precautions for would-be users, and offers advice as to the safety of various drugs. There is a section all about WHY people use drugs, as well as suggestions for a sane domestic policy regarding drug use. Dr. Andrew Weil is probably the most respected proponent of homeopathic medicine in the USA. His insights are detailed and while he has a certain political bias in regards to drugs, his advice comes from his extensive experience as a Medical Doctor. I'd give this one an extra star if it were an option. If you're seeking useful info about drugs that is not clouded by anti-drug propoganda or pro-drug mania, then this is the book you need.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for kid's education!
Review: This book was recommended to me as an educational tool for my pre-teen children...NO WAY! I felt like the book did not address the dangers of the drugs at all. In fact, if anything, I would want to try some of the drugs after reading about them (if I didn't know better)!
Rating:
Summary: at last--the truth!
Review: This is a book that will probably be damned by the ONDCP, Dare, the Partnership for a Brainfree America and many other anti-drug groups. They will claim that it sends the wrong message and that it might encourage drug use. While it is possible that it will encourage drug use in some persons, it is a vastly informative book about various drugs. It attempts to tell--gasp--dare I say it--the truth. Dr.Weil operates under the assumption that kids and adults need to know the truth. He does not advocate or recommend drugs. He merely tries to follow Joe Fridays advice. Just the facts! Of course, the facts and truth have always run contrary to the War on Some Drugs so this book will come under scrutiny. That is a shame. Parents would do well to read this book to learn about the different kinds of drugs and the effects that they may yield. College students and other adults and teenagers should read it so they can make educated decisions about what they do or do not put into their bodies. I have used this book as a reference book for quite a few years. It has helped me make educated decisions. It also contains a lot of historical information about the use of different drugs in different cultures around the world. Dare to think for yourself: Read this book and learn.
Rating:
Summary: For Entertainment Value Only
Review: This outdated work seems dedicated above all to showing off the cleverness of the primary author (now a famous New Age health guru). It is packed full of arcane trivia on drugs ranging from yopo snuff to toad venom but generally fails to deliver the information that one would need to make rational decisions about substance use. To be fair, the book is a fun read and full of neat photos and illustrations. But what it's not is a good guide to intoxicating drugs. In particular, the health and neurological effects of numerous drugs are given far too little attention. For example, the section on inhaling gasoline (!) mentions that users should be sure to get plenty of fresh air afterwards and should take care not to inhale while driving (!!!) but does not mention that inhalants cause brain damage and are carcinogenic. As a long-time opponent of "the War on Some Drugs," I find this book embarrassing. "Illegal Drugs: A Complete Guide to Their History, Chemistry, Use and Abuse" by Paul M. Gahlinger MD is far superior to this book as a source of info, albeit less clever and fun.
| 
