patrick k. o’brien

Drugs and the American Dream presents an up-to-date anthology of chiefly contemporary readings that explore the myriad sociological correlates of licit and illicit drug use in the United States.

• Unique approach to the topic that offers an organizing theme of sociological concepts-age, social class, ethnicity, gender, as well as societal response to drug use including drug education, treatment, and policy.
• The book is interdisciplinary in terms of approach, making it useful in a variety of contexts.
• Includes a wide array of ethnographic articles that place reader directly into the perspectives of drug users through their own voices
• Brief framing introductions to each article provide "interconnective tissue," guiding the student to the heart of what's important in the piece that follows.
• Offers a balanced approach to various substances-tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs.
• Provides students with a realistic perspective on the extent of substance use in American society as well as a critical appreciation of the real versus imagined harms associated with use of various substances.