The opening chapter places cocaine use in historical perspective and reviews issues in cocaine abuse that will be discussed in subsequent chapters. Two chapters on neuroscience research pertaining to cocaine effects consider animal research and human neurochemistry. The discussion delineates the physiological, biochemical, and behavioral findings that reveal cocaine's propensity for misuse. The main section of the book contains seven chapters on the theoretical and clinical principles of the major forms of psychotherapeutic intervention used with cocaine abusers. The rationale for and the common therapeutic considerations in the application of individual, group, and family therapy for cocaine abusers are discussed. The treatment chapters include considerations of cocaine treatment in a hospital setting and pharmacological approaches to the management of cocaine abuse. Chapters on cocaine research focus on future directions with attention to 'crack,' cocaine abuse by women, the effect of cocaine on pregnancy and the fetus, cocaine use in sports, cocaine in the workplace, and cocaine abuse by health care professionals. Chapter references and name and subject indexes.