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Drugs without the hot air

Making sense of legal and illegal drugs
4.43 goodreads logo

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( 2,154 ratings, 160 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Drugs without the hot air by Professor David Nutt offers an honest and evidence-based look at the complex world of drugs. It compares the harms of illegal substances with legal ones like alcohol and tobacco, explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as magic mushrooms, LSD and cannabis, and discusses addiction, the opioid crisis, and vaping risks. This revised second edition also updates readers on international drug policies, making it an essential guide to understanding drugs free from prejudice and misinformation.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3656
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for parents, teachers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in an informed, scientific perspective on drugs and their role in society and medicine.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The science behind legal and illegal drugs - how they work, why people take them and what effect they have on us.

The science behind legal and illegal drugs - how they work, why people take them and what effect they have on us.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The dangers of illegal drugs are well known and rarely disputed, but how harmful are alcohol and tobacco by comparison?

The issue of what a drug is and how we should live with them affects us all: parents, teachers, users—anyone who has taken a painkiller or drunk a glass of wine. Written by renowned psychiatrist, Professor David Nutt, Drugs without the hot air casts a refreshingly honest light on drugs and answers crucial questions that are rarely ever disputed. What are we missing by banning medical research into magic mushrooms, LSD, and cannabis? Can they be sources of valuable treatments? How can psychedelics treat depression?

Drugs without the hot air covers a wide range of topics, from addiction and whether addictive personalities exist to the role of cannabis in treating epilepsy, an overview of the opioid crisis, and an assessment of how harmful vaping is. This new expanded and revised second edition includes even more details on international policies, particularly in the US.

David's research has won international support, reducing drug-related harm by introducing policies that are founded on scientific evidence. But there is still a lot to be done.

Accessibly written, this much-awaited second edition is an important book for everyone, bringing us all up to date with the 'war of drugs'.

Series: without the hot air

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  • Drugs without the hot air
    The dangers of illegal drugs are well known and rarely disputed, but how harmful are alcohol and tobacco by comparison? The issue of what a drug is and how we should live with them affects us all: parents, teachers, users—anyone who has taken a painkiller or drunk a glass of wine. Written by renowned psychiatrist, Professor David Nutt, Drugs without...
    Paperback
    $3656
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

BBC Science Focus magazine praises Nutt's direct, no-nonsense style as a masterclass in science communication. Experts including Carl Hart commend the book for its clarity and trustworthiness, while Cory Doctorow highlights Nutt as a superb communicator and principled campaigner. Baroness Meacher calls it the perfect, simple-read resource for understanding drug risks and benefits without bias.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780857844989

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 September 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: UIT Cambridge LTD

Edition: 2nd edition

Illustration: Black & White Illustrations and Diagrams

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 36.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 320g

Pages: 448

About the Author

David Nutt is a psychiatrist, chair of DrugScience and the Edmund J Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology in Imperial College London. The Times Eureka science magazine voted him one of the 100 most important figures in British Science. David hosts The Drug Science Podcast, and his writing has featured in numerous publications, including The Guardian, the Lancet and BBC Science Focus.

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