A reference guide that answers the questions people have about addiction and addictive behaviors of all kinds, including drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, Internet usage, and more.Addiction: A Reference Encyclopedia offers straight talk and clear answers on a topic often sensationalized in the media and politicized during campaigns. Drawing from a wide variety of sources, it provides readers with a concise yet thorough review of what we know about all kinds of addictive behavior.Addiction surveys both the science of addiction and its history in the United States with two main sections: a narrative of the history of addiction as a scientific and public policy issue in the United States followed by a series of alphabetically organized entries focused on organizations, individuals, and events that have impacted our thinking about addiction. Much of the work focuses on substance abuse-alcohol, tobacco, opiates, cocaine-but the book also examines behaviors that have only recently been recognized as potentially addictive, including gambling, sexual activity, Internet usage, and more.