Features 13 reviews collected to present the advances in various areas of addiction research. This book includes chapters on the history of addictive substances and some personal narratives of addiction. It provides an overview of what we know about addiction, and how scientific knowledge should be applied in the societal and ethical context.

This book includes a collection of reviews spanning the complete range of disciplines involved in the study of addiction, from genomics to humanities. The book presents new advances in areas of research including knowledged gained from the mapping of the human genome, the improved understanding of brain pathways and functions that are stimulated by addictive drugs, experimental and clinical psychology approaches to addiction and treatment, as well as both ethical considerations and social policy. The book also includes chapters on the history of addictive substances and some personal narratives of addiction.