Gender differences in addiction and recovery.

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THE DIFFERENT WAYS in which drug addiction is affected by gender was the theme of a daylong symposium held at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, January 29, 2000 as part of their Campus on the Mall continuing education program. The conference, entitled, “Sex, Science, and Drugs: Gender Differences in Addiction and Recovery,” brought together some of the top thinkers in the addiction field—before a mixed audience of laypersons and research scientists. Cosponsored by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Society for Women’s Health Research, the panels raised many questions, offered some potential answers, and, finally, stated that men and women turn to drugs in gender-specific ways and for gender-specific reasons.