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Drug Misuse and Dependence: Guidelines on Clinical Management

These Guidelines are written for all doctors. They are intended for those doctors who are 'generalists' in the sense that they do not have any particular expertise in drug misuse (e.g. general practitioners, physicians, surgeons and obstetricians); and for those practitioners who have varying degrees of training and expertise treating drug misusers, including specialists in drug misuse and some general practitioners. A Working Group was set up in January 1997 by the Department of Health to revise the 1991 Guidelines. The broad multidisciplinary membership of the Group reflects the increasing number of professionals involved in the clinical management of drug misuse and dependence,and the need for a wider community perspective on the treatment of drug misusers.

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• Substance misuse