Offers an examination of drug use, abuse, and treatment, offering clinical and scientific knowledge, case studies, and policy suggestions intended to help drug users, their families, and communities deal with the problem.

"A groundbreaking examination of addiction from the chief medical officer for the New York State Office of Mental Health, [this book] is a practical guide to understanding the world of drug use, abuse, and treatment from one of our nation's foremost addiction and mental health experts. Written with warmth, accessibility, and authority, this volume brings together scientific and clinical knowledge, policy suggestions, and case studies--paving a way toward recovery and health for families and communities suffering from the addiction epidemic. With a focus on opioids, Dr. Lloyd I. Sederer takes us through the proven essentials of addiction treatment and explains why so many of the federal government's policies, such as the lingering remnants of the War on Drugs, fail to help drug users, their families, and their wider communities. He identifies a key insight often overlooked in popular and professional writing: people who use drugs do so to meet specific needs, and drugs may be the best option they currently have. Written with the empathy that comes from decades of experience, Dr. Sederer's guide to addiction and its treatment carries a profound and useful message of help, comfort, and hope."--Dust jacket.