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ACKNOWLEDGMENT This monograph is based on the papers and discussions from a technical review on " Assessing Neurotoxicity of Drugs of Abuse " held on May 20-21, 1991, in Bethesda, MD. The technical review was sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). COPYRIGHT STATUS NIDA has obtained permission from the copyright holders to reproduce certain previously published material as noted in the text. Further reproduction of this copyrighted material is permitted only as part of a reprinting of the entire publication or chapter. For any other use, the copyright holder's permission is required. All other material in this volume except quoted passages from copyrighted sources is in the public domain and may be used or reproduced without permission from the Institute or the authors. Citation of the source is appreciated. Opinions expressed in this volume are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official policy of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or any other part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any specific commercial product or company. Trade, proprietary, or company names appearing in this publication are used only because they are considered essential in the context of the studies reported herein. The chapters by Jensen and colleagues and Boyes were reviewed in accordance with US. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication: mention of trade names or commercial products in these chapters does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. NIDA Research Monographs are indexed in the " Index Medicus. " They are selectively included in the coverage of " Preface This monograph is the result of a technical review meeting that was held May 20-21, 1991. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) supports neurotoxicity research as part of its mandate to explore the consequences of drug abuse. This research has provided important data on the neurotoxicity of several abuse substances, such as amphetamine and its congeners; tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of marijuana; and phencyclidine. These NIDA-supported studies also have served to further public health on a broader scale by leading to the development of new methodologies for studying neurotoxicity and by elucidating general principles that will guide future research in neurotoxicology. During the course of the technical review meeting, a consensus was reached that no one technique could be used to define a neurotoxic effect but, rather, …