Undoing Drugs: The Untold Story of Harm Reduction and the Future of Addiction
Maia Szalavitz
(Author)
Samantha Desz
(Read by)
Description
From one of the bravest, smartest writers about addiction anywhere (Johann Hari, New York Times bestselling author)--the untold story of harm reduction, a surprisingly simple idea with enormous powerDrug overdoses now kill more Americans annually than guns, cars or breast cancer. But we have tried to solve this national crisis with policies that only made matters worse. In the name of sending the right message, we have maximized the spread of infectious disease, torn families apart, incarcerated millions of mostly Black and Brown people--and utterly failed to either prevent addiction or make effective treatment for it widely available. There is another way, one that is proven to work. However, it runs counter to much of the received wisdom of our criminal and medical industrial complexes. It is called harm reduction. Developed and championed by an outcast group of people who use drugs and by former users and public health geeks, harm reduction offers guidance on how to save lives and improve health. And it provides a way of understanding behavior and culture that has relevance far beyond drugs. In a spellbinding narrative rooted in an urgent call to action, Undoing Drugs tells the story of how a small group of committed people changed the world, illuminating the power of a great idea. It illustrates how hard it can be to take on widely accepted conventional wisdom--and what is necessary to overcome this resistance. It is also about how personal, direct human connection and kindness can inspire profound transformation. Ultimately, Undoing Drugs offers a path forward--revolutionizing not only the treatment of addiction, but also our treatment of behavioral and societal issues.
Product Details
Price
$40.00
$37.20
Publisher
Hachette Go
Publish Date
July 27, 2021
Language
English
Type
Compact Disc
EAN/UPC
9781549165559
BISAC Categories:
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Become an affiliateAbout the Author
MAIA SZALAVITZ is widely viewed as one of the premier American journalists covering addiction and drugs. A neuroscience writer for TIME.com and a former cocaine and heroin addict, she understands the science and its personal dimensions in a way that few others can. She is co-author of Born for Love: Why Empathy is Essential - and Endangered and The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, both with Dr. Bruce D. Perry. Her 2006 book, Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids is the first book-length exposé of the "tough love" business that dominates addiction treatment. She writes for a variety of publications includingTIME.com, theNew York Times, New York Magazine, Pacific Standard, Scientific American, Nautilus, Matter, Elle, Psychology Today, VICE, and Marie Claire.
Samantha Desz is a classically trained narrator, voice artist, and actor who has extensive theater and long-form voiceover-project experience. Passionate about learning about different cultures and lifestyles, she has lived in many places across the United States as well as in London and currently calls the Midwest home.