Pharmacological treatment of addiction

Pharmacotherapy plays a key role in the effective treatment of alcohol and drug dependence, alongside psychological and social interventions. The roles that pharmacotherapies have are varied and depend on the stage of treatment. They are used in maintenance/substitution, detoxification (as a substitute or adjunctive) and/or relapse prevention following detoxification. This contribution focuses on the pharmacology of the main drugs prescribed in the treatment of addiction. The drugs of abuse specifically addressed are opioids, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis and stimulants. Reviews of the literature regarding pharmacological management of substance misuse are covered comprehensively elsewhere and the reader is referred to the British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) guidelines.