This work focuses on the many critical areas of America's drug problem, providing a foundation for rational decisionmaking within this complex and multi-disciplinary field. Broken into three sections: Understanding the Problem, Gangs and Drugs, and Fighting Back, topics covered include the business of drugs and the role of organized crime in the drug trade, drug legalization and decriminalization, legal and law enforcement strategies, an analysis of the socialization process of drug use and abuse, and a historical discussion of drug abuse that puts the contemporary drug problem into perspective. Thoughtful analysis of the diverse perspectives on dealing with the impact of drug use and drug trafficking on American society A close look at the growing influence of Mexican cartels on the drug-trafficking landscape and the impact of their activity in and around the U.S. border Text is supplemented with photos, charts, critical thinking tasks, learning objectives, key terms, and discussion questions Appendices cover drug scheduling and federal trafficking penalties.

Part I: Understanding the Problem 1. The Nature of the Drug Problem 2. The History of Drug Abuse 3. Understanding Drugs of Abuse 4. The Illicit Drug Trade 5. Domestic Drug Production 6. Drugs and Crime Part II: Gangs and Drugs 7. Organized Crime and the Drug Trade 8. Domestic Drug-Trafficking Organizations 9. Foreign Drug-Trafficking Organizations Part III: Fighting Back 10. The Drug Control Initiative 11. Critical Issues in Drug Control 12. The Issue of Legalizing Drugs 13. Understanding Drug Control Policy 14. Control through Treatment and Prevention.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 501-519) and index.