This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American Over the past year and a half, Scientific ...

Recreational drug use often begins as a seemingly harmless activity, a way to unwind, socialize or experiment. However, what starts as occasional use can quickly spiral into addiction, with ...

Remarkable scientific progress over the past five decades has helped us develop knowledge of how drugs of abuse induce pleasure, reinforce use, and lead to the compulsive self-administration we call ...