Addiction Science

Brief Description

Recent scientific advances have revolutionized our understanding of drug abuse and addiction, which is now recognized as a chronic relapsing brain disease. NIDA’s publications offer a plain language view of how the brain, body and behavior respond to drugs of abuse, and include advances in addiction treatment.

Explaining Addiction

Why Are Drugs So Hard to Quit

En Español

Anyone Can Become Addicted to Drugs

En Español

Related Publications

Volume 6, Number 1 (Addiction Science & Clinical Practice)

Published July 2011.
Presents current knowledge on a variety of addiction issues, including nicotine’s affects on brain function; inhalant abuse; genetically-based research and treatment; maternal tobacco use and its effects on children; and a behavior game for young children.

Volume 5, Number 2 (Addiction Science & Clinical Practice)

Published December 2010.
Reports on the cognitive effects of addiction, potential genetic influences, strategies for training counselors, cost evaluation of evidence-based treatments, and a trial underway on brief strategic family therapy.

Volume 5, Number 1 (Addiction Science & Clinical Practice)

Published April 2009.
Features recent research on drug abuse and criminal justice, including interventions to promote successful re-entry, nutrition issues for HIV-infected drug abusers, and recovery-oriented systems of care.