Hm, well I am not at all surprised that people so far either like him or hate him.
You will hate him if 1. You think you're going to get an A in the class 2. You think you know more about drugs than him 3. You like classes that you don't have to attend the lectures or 4. You hate assclowns (people who like to hear themselves talk during large lecture classes). If any of the 4 describe you, then don't take this course.
This course integrates neuroscience, psychology and sociology in a fascinating way. Yes, you must attend class. Most of the exams are based on his lectures.
Don't be full of yourself when learning the material though. It's harder then it looks, and his points are subtle, but well thought out. If you go and copy his powerpoints word for word, then you may have a hard time reviewing them because they don't explain every detail - you need to add in stuff he says in class when he explains his powerpoints. So yeah, he expects you to listen to him, and no, its really not that unreasonable. People who think they had to memorize the text didn't go to class and didn't realize that the study guide for each exam pretty much tells you what sections of each chapter you should read.
Once again, not a science class really, but not a sociology class either. Its just a class about drugs. Many people think he has ulterior motives when teaching - and that's true. But what professor doesn't? I tend to think that because he teaches about drugs, which has a lot of misperceptions and stereotypes that other people have a hard time getting rid of, people tend to get all angry and up in arms about what he suggests or says. He likes it when you question studies or argue with him, even if it pisses off the rest of the class (i personally think it makes the class entertaining and stimulating). He's also funny and engaging. He has the personality of a 20 year old, but he's about 20x as smart.