THE FIRST SECTION DESCRIBES AND CLASSIFIES DRUGS. ALCOHOL, ORGANIC SOLVENTS, CANNABIS (MARIHUANA, HASHISH), STIMULANTS (DENZEDRINE, DEXEDRINE AND METHEDRINE), SEDATIVES, BARBITURATES, TRANQUILIZERS (INCLUDING MINOR TRANQUILIZERS AND NON-BARBITURATE SEDATIVES AND QUAALUDES ARE DESCRIBED. ALSO INCLUDED ARE NARCOTICS (OPIUM, HEROIN, MORPHINE, CODEINE, METHADONE, AND DEMEROL), HALLUCINOGENS (LSD, MDA, MESCALINE, PCP AND OTHERS), COCAINE, AND POPPERS (AMYL NITRITE AND ISOBUTYL NITRITE). ADVICE, PROVIDED TO PARENTS ON HOW TO HANDLE A TEENAGER WHO HAS A DRUG HABIT, INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DRUG ABUSE. HIGHLIGHTS PRESENTED FROM THE CANADIAN COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE NON-MEDICAL USE OF DRUGS INCLUDE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE USE OF CANNABIS SHOULD NOT BE A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND THE OBSERVATION THAT GREATER INCIDENCE OF EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS OCCURS AMONG CANNABIS USERS. A DISCUSSION OF THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIHUANA INCLUDES THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO DATE REGARDING THE MEDICAL, SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS, AS WELL AS THE FINDINGS AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF VARIOUS EXPERTS. THE POSITION OF NORML (NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE REFORM OF MARIHUANA LAWS) IS STATED ALONGSIDE THAT OF OTHERS WHO BELIEVE THAT DECRIMINALIZATION IS NOT THE ANSWER. THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF GETTING 'BUSTED' ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. PLACES WHERE DRUG USERS CAN GO FOR HELP ARE DESCRIBED AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON DRUGS AND THEIR USE IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES ARE LISTED. A SLANG DICTIONARY OF DRUG TERMS IS ALSO INCLUDED. PHOTOGRAPHS, REFERENCES, AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED.