Unlike most texts about drug use, which are written either from a counseling/psychology or physiology/pharmacology point of view, The Sociology of American Drug Use mainstreams the coverage for sociology and criminology programs, and at the same time provides a broader sociological perspective on drug use. Much of this material comes from Charles Faupel's own research experience among street heroin addicts on the East coast; several chapters offer an ethnographer's perspective on the specific issues addressed, while at the same time maintaining a focus on the basics of this substantive field.