Addiction

Addiction has long attracted public interest, but debate around it has intensified, especially as the opioid epidemic drives up the death toll. People argue over opioid prescribing practices, the legalization of marijuana, whether a substance like marijuana can truly be addictive, the use of medication to treat addiction, and more. A common belief that addictive behavior is entirely a matter of choice has fed misinformation and stigma, distorting public understanding of what substance use disorders are, what causes them, and how they are treated. Critics still ask whether addiction is a real medical condition or a choice, despite decades of research and tens of thousands of peer-reviewed studies.

This book is part of the What Everyone Needs to Know series. Suzette Glasner, an expert in the science and treatment of addiction, sets out to cut through the most polarizing and misleading claims that shape public thinking. She poses key questions about addiction and answers them in an accessible way grounded in research.

The book offers straight talk and sound guidelines for the general public, health professionals, and policymakers. It surveys the subject from its origins through forms of treatment and the complications that arise, and it is intended as an authoritative, current, and accurate source on the topic.