As the drug abuse epidemic evolves, so do the tools needed to understand and treat it. Accordingly, this work takes the long view, cogently outlining what the authors call "the natural history of drug abuse" and redefining its complex phenomena to reflect our present-day knowledge. Twenty-six eminent contributors discuss the state and future of the field, balancing the practical concerns involved in gathering drug abuse data with the ethics of using the information, and shedding significant light on infrequently covered areas.