The interplay between the biological, psychological and socio-political dimensions of our understanding of addiction' - a supposedly modern plague - is proving fertile territory for historians. It is often the case today that journalistic and political accounts of the problem lack historical sophistication, with 'drug scares' being accompanied by amnesia for the longer-term continuity of such problems. It is a hopeful sign that historians are beginning to establish research networks and specialist conferences in this field, and to a lesser extent to make inputs to health policy. Within the British context, the work of Virginia Berridge has been particularly influential in addressing the interface between our historical understanding of addictive substances and the formulation of a response to the current alcohol and drug epidemics. The policy implications of such research are unfortunately often overlooked in the era of the 'War on Drugs'.
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