Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by
From a small town in Mexico to the boardrooms of Big Pharma to main streets nationwide, an explosive and shocking account of addiction in the heartland of America. In 1929, in the blue-collar city of Portsmouth, Ohio, a company built a swimming pool the size of a football field; named Dreamland, it became the vital center of the community. Now, addiction has devastated Portsmouth, as it has hundreds of small rural towns and suburbs across America--addiction like no other the country has ever faced. How that happened is the riveting story of Dreamland. With a great reporter's narrative skill and the storytelling ability of a novelist, acclaimed journalist Sam Quinones weaves together two classic tales of capitalism run amok whose unintentional collision has been catastrophic. The unfettered prescribing of pain medications during the 1990s reached its peak in Purdue Pharma's campaign to market OxyContin, its new, expensive--extremely addictive--miracle painkiller. Meanwhile, a massive influx of black tar heroin--cheap, potent, and originating from one small county on Mexico's west coast, independent of any drug cartel--assaulted small town and mid-sized cities across the country, driven by a brilliant, almost unbeatable marketing and distribution system. Together these phenomena continue to lay waste to communities from Tennessee to Oregon, Indiana to New Mexico. Introducing a memorable cast of characters--pharma pioneers, young Mexican entrepreneurs, narcotics investigators, survivors, and parents--Quinones shows how these tales fit together. Dreamland is a revelatory account of the corrosive threat facing America and its heartland.
Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats Are Hijacking the Global Economy by
A groundbreaking investigation of how illicit commerce is changing the world by transforming economies, reshaping politics, and capturing governments. In this fascinating and comprehensive examination of the underside of globalization, Moises Naim illuminates the struggle between traffickers and the hamstrung bureaucracies trying to control them. From illegal migrants to drugs to weapons to laundered money to counterfeit goods, the black market produces enormous profits that are reinvested to create new businesses, enable terrorists, and even to take over governments. Naim reveals the inner workings of these amazingly efficient international organizations and shows why it is so hard and so necessary to contain them. Riveting and deeply informed, Illicit will change how you see the world around you.
U. S. Border Security by
This text provides an integrated view of post-9/11 security concerns over the United States' shared border with Mexico and Canada in regards to terrorism, unauthorized migration, drug and arms smuggling, and other illegal trade. * Presents a chronological overview of the major historical and contemporary events impacting the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders, as well as the development of trilateral and international security concerns * Includes a bibliography providing academic sources and a chapter of books, peer-reviewed journals, and video/DVD resources * Glossary contains terminology for border security, unauthorized immigration, terrorism, drug and arms smuggling, and cross-border trade studies * A chapter of biographical profiles describe the key players in politics, homeland security agencies, and criminal organizations
Chasing Dragons: Security, Identity, and Illicit Drugs in Canada by
Canada has received significant attention of late for initiating a government-sponsored medical marijuana program and for its flirtation with marijuana decriminalization. At best, these initiatives have contributed to Canada being seen as a reluctant ally by Washington, and, at worst, as a potential threat. The result of this impression is increasing American pressure to adopt more robust domestic security policies. At the same time, the Canadian public sees itself as holding unique values that differ from those held by its neighbor to the south. Supposedly these values are best reflected by a distinctive security outlook which produces reasonable responses to potential threats, a sharp contrast to the manic actions of the United States. Chasing Dragons challenges these presumptions of difference and exposes the security politics and policy that they make possible. Focusing on the issues surrounding illicit drugs, Kyle Grayson examines how discourses and practices of security policy actually contribute to the construction of Canadian national and cultural identity. This analysis is also relevant beyond Canada. Crucially, this book identifies the dangers of underestimating the centrality of race and geopolitics to civic conceptions of nationality in liberal societies. Chasing Dragons reconsiders the meaning of security. Additionally, it discusses avenues for resisting the insecurity produced by liberal states in the post-9/11 world. This critical approach reveals the pervasiveness of power in contemporary Canadian society, how this power is hidden, and the consequences for progressive social politics.
Drug Trafficking, Organized Crime, and Violence in the Americas Today by
In 1971, Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs. Despite foreign policy efforts and attempts to combat supply lines, the United States has been for decades, and remains today, the largest single consumer market for illicit drugs on the planet. This volume argues that the war on drugs has been ineffective at best and, at worst, has been highly detrimental to many countries. Leading experts in the fields of public health, political science, and national security analyze how U.S. policies have affected the internal dynamics of Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. Together, they present a comprehensive overview of the major trends in drug trafficking and organized crime in the early twenty-first century. In addition, the editors and contributors identify emerging issues and propose several policy options to address them. This accessible and expansive volume provides a framework for understanding the limits and liabilities in the U.S.-championed war on drugs throughout the Americas.
Emerging Perspectives on Substance Misuse by
Emerging Perspectives on Substance Misuse addresses theoretical, practice and policy issues with regard to the problematic use of alcohol and illegal drugs. Comprises chapters from some of the most internationally well-known academics and practitioners representing a range of different specializations and perspectives in the field Presents a wide range of emerging evidence-based perspectives Includes content relevant for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers who work with individuals or policy related to drug and alcohol misuse Areas covered include - gender and substance use, working with children and families of substance misusers and the emerging recovery movement.
The Encyclopedia of Drug Abuse by
Drug abuse is a longstanding and painful problem that can lead to devastating effects for users, addicts, and their families and friends. Studies show that a large percentage of junior high and high school students have been exposed to, or have experimented with, illegal drugs. The most commonly abused drugs are alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine, but as trends change, new drugs become more and more popular. Abuse of methamphetamines and prescription drugs is currently on the rise, and though anti-drug messages are distributed widely, young people continue to try drugs for the first time every day. With approximately 200 entries, ""The Encyclopedia of Drug Abuse"" covers the full range of illegal and legal drugs and how they impact society. Taking a global perspective, this new title looks at the worldwide drug trade and the effects of drug abuse in countries and cultures around the world, as well as in the United States. This comprehensive reference examines various types of drugs and how they function, risks, causes and consequences of abuse, social issues, psychiatric issues, means of prevention, law enforcement efforts, and drugs in special social groups. Appendixes provide statistics, directories of helpful groups and organizations, and resources for further research. Topics include: accidental overdose deaths; barbiturates; club drugs; drug dependence; gangs and drugs; narcotics; opiates; pregnancy and substance abuse; prescription drug abuse; treatment; and, violence.
Hooked: Five Addicts Challenge Our Misguided Drug Rehab System by
A powerful critique of the current drug-rehab system, through the stories of the addicts inside it. "Hooked" offers a provocative, honest look at the seemingly intractable issue of drug addiction and offers powerful alternatives to current policies. 24 photos.
Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction by
More people than ever before see themselves as addicted to, or recovering from, addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet. But despite the unprecedented attention, our understanding of addiction is trapped in unfounded 20th century ideas, addiction as a crime or as brain disease, and in equally outdated treatment. Challenging both the idea of the addict's "broken brain" and the notion of a simple "addictive personality," Unbroken Brain offers a radical and groundbreaking new perspective, arguing that addictions are learning disorders and shows how seeing the condition this way can untangle our current debates over treatment, prevention and policy. Like autistic traits, addictive behaviors fall on a spectrum - and they can be a normal response to an extreme situation. By illustrating what addiction is, and is not, the book illustrates how timing, history, family, peers, culture and chemicals come together to create both illness and recovery - and why there is no "addictive personality" or single treatment that works for all. Combining Maia's personal story with a distillation of more than 25 years of science and research, Unbroken Brain provides a paradigm-shifting approach to thinking about addiction.
Critical Approaches to Harm Reduction: Conflict, Institutionalization, (de-)politicization, and Direct Action by
This book is divided into three sections. Entitled Critical Harm Reduction Policy: From Oppositional Social Movement to Institutionalized Public Health Policy, Part One encompasses a diverse array of issues relating to the cost/benefit analysis of harm reduction as measured in the terms of institutionalization and (de-)politicization. Part Two, Critical Harm Reduction Practice: Autonomy, Ideology, and Evidence-Based Interventions, consists of several concrete case studies concerning harm reduction practice in an array of (non-)traditional contexts. Comprised of a unique series of chapters that each interrogates a different issue relating to the philosophical underpinnings of harm reduction, Part Three is entitled Critical Harm Reduction Theory/Philosophy: Depoliticization, Direct Action, and Drug/Service Users' Experiential Knowledge. Although the emphasis of each section and corresponding set of chapters is remarkably diverse, several themes remain prominent throughout this book, including an overtly critical analysis of the multiplicity of contextual deployments of harm reduction, a recurring focus on elevating the value of experiential knowledge and the fundamentally important, central role of people with direct lived experience. Additionally, the centrality of direct action tactics in the innovation of user-based forms of harm reduction in policy, practice, and philosophically-based contexts are discussed.
Harm Reduction: A New Direction for Drug Policies and Programs by
Since the First International Conference on the Reduction of Drug-Related Harm, held in 1990, the term 'harm reduction' has gained wide currency in the areas of public health and drug policy. Previously the field was characterized by heated struggle between prohibition and legalization of addictive substances, and this debate tended to obscure practical, collective approaches. Harm reduction, an approach which encompasses various policy directives and program initiatives was inspired by the positive outcomes of such public measures as needle-exchange programs for reduction of HIV risk, methadone maintenance programs, education on the risks of tobacco use, and programs designed to limit alcohol consumption. The essays in this book illustrate the scope and vigor of the emerging harm reduction model. The essays, drawn from seven international conferences on harm reduction, cover a wide variety of topics, including public policy, women and reproductive issues, the experiences of special populations, human rights; defining and measuring harm, and intervention. Researchers and practitioners will benefit from the varied papers in the volume, which combine insights into policy-making and front-line outreach efforts with comprehensive conceptual and empirical approaches. Harm Reduction represents an important initiative in making academic work accessible and useful to a larger community, and provides guidance for the development of effective policies and programs.
Harm Reduction in Substance Use and High-Risk Behaviour by
Harm Reduction is a philosophy of public health intended as a progressive alternative to the prohibition of certain potentially dangerous lifestyle choices. Recognizing that certain people always have and always will engage in behaviors which carry risks, the aim of harm reduction is to mitigate the potential dangers and health risks associated with those behaviors. Harm Reduction in Substance Use and High-Risk Behavior offers a comprehensive exploration of the policy, practice and evidence base of harm reduction. Starting with a history of harm reduction, the book addresses key ethical and legal issues central to the debates and developments in the field. It discusses the full range of psychoactive substances, behaviors and communities with chapters on injecting, dance drugs, stimulant use, tobacco harm reduction, alcohol use and sex work. Written by an international team of contributors, this text provides an essential panorama of harm reduction in the 21st century for educators and researchers in addiction and public health, postgraduate students and policy makers.
The Life of the Heroin User: Typical Beginnings, Trajectories and Outcomes by
Heroin is a worldwide scourge and a seemingly intractable one. The Life of the Heroin User: Typical Beginnings, Trajectories and Outcomes is the first book to apply a biographical approach to the lifecycle of the heroin user from birth until death. Chapters address each stage of the user's life, including childhood, routes to use, the development of dependence, problems arising from addiction, death and options for treatment and prevention. Drawing on over two decades of experience in the field of opiate research, Shane Darke examines major theoretical approaches to the development of opiate dependence and the efficacy of treatment options for opiate dependence. Key points are presented at the end of each chapter. The most detailed review available of what is likely to happen to the dependent heroin user, this is an important book for clinicians, researchers and students in the fields of drug and alcohol studies and public health.
Addictions, Substance Abuse, and Alcoholism by
The Second Edition contains 425 alphabetically arranged essays on a variety of topics, including substances of abuse, treatment and addiction overviews, organizations and foundations dedicated to treatment and prevention, physiological and psychological issues and behaviors, trends and statistics, and social contexts and concerns related to substance abuse and treatment such as advertising and media influence, aging, ethnicity, and children and substance abuse.
The Addiction Solution: Treating Our Dependence on Opioids and Other Drugs by
A groundbreaking examination of addiction from a psychiatrist and public health doctor, offering practical, proven solutions for individuals, families, and communities dealing with substance use and abuse. Written with warmth, accessibility, and vast authority, The Addiction Solution is a practical guide through the world of drug use and abuse and addiction treatment. Here, Lloyd I. Sederer, MD, brings together scientific and clinical knowledge, policy suggestions, and case studies to describe our current drug crisis and establish a clear path forward to recovery and health. In a time when so many people are affected by the addiction epidemic, when 142 people die of overdoses every day in the United States, principally from opioids, Sederer's decades of wisdom and clinical experience are needed more than ever before. With a timely focus on opioids, Sederer takes us through the proven essentials of addiction treatment and explains why so many of our current policies, like 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 about addiction and its treatment: namely, that people who use drugs do so to meet specific needs, and that drugs may be the best solution those people currently have. Writing with generosity and empathy about the many Americans who use illicit and prescribed substances, Sederer lays out specific, evidence-based, researched solutions to the prevention and problems of drug use, including exercise, medications, therapy, recovery programs, and community services. In this challenging time, The Addiction Solution provides practical help, comfort, and hope.
Something Dangerous: Emergent and Changing Illicit Drug Use and Community Health by
This research-based, theory-driven account of the changing underground world of drug use and associated health effects covers the essential ground in a brisk, authoritative fashion. After a thorough outline of the nature and history of drug use dynamics, the author assesses the role of youth in new drug use practices, the impact of illicit drug distribution and the war on drugs, and the public health risks of new trends in drug use behavior. The volume provides an up-close, ethnographic account of the social worlds of drug sellers and users and the processes of change in patterns of drug consumption. Additionally, it considers mechanisms for effective public health responses to emergent health risks associated with changing drug use patterns.
A Community-Based, Focused-Deterrence Approach to Closing Overt Drug Markets: A Process and Fidelity Evaluation of Seven Sites by
Overt drug markets are often associated with violence and property crime, as well as lower quality of life for nearby residents. This process evaluation describes how well seven jurisdictions adhered to a Bureau of Justice Assistance strategy to reduce overt drug markets, as well as the barriers they encountered and the lessons learned from their experiences.
Community Treatment of Drug Misuse by
Methadone has been used successfully as a substitution agent for heroin dependency for more than 30 years. As a result of its success, other effective methods of treatment have been neglected. Established as a key text on all treatment options for drug misusers, Community Treatment of Drug Misuse: More Than Methadone has been highly praised for its practical orientation based on a solid research background. For the second edition, all the main evidence-based and more pragmatic treatment approaches are reviewed, not only in the management of opiate dependence, but across the range of drugs. It focuses extensively on developments in the last few years as a result of policy initiatives and research findings, including coverage of buprenorphine treatment, the systematic treatment of cocaine abuse and work with special patient groups. This is of direct relevance to medical as well as non-medical practitioners undertaking clinical work in the addictions.
Implementing Evidence-Based Practices in Community Corrections and Addiction Treatment by
Community corrections programs are emerging as an effective alternative to incarceration for drug-involved offenders, to reduce recidivism and improve public health and public safety. Since evidence-based practice is gaining recognition as a success factor in both community systems and substance abuse treatment, a merger of the two seems logical and desirable. But integrating evidence-based addiction treatment into community corrections is no small feat--costs, personnel decisions, and effective, appropriate interventions are all critical considerations. Featuring the first model of implementation strategies linking these fields, Implementing Evidence-Based Practices in Community Corrections and Addiction Treatment sets out criteria for identifying practices and programs as evidence. The book's detailed blueprint is based on extensive research into organizational factors (e.g., management buy-in) and external forces (e.g., funding, resources) with the most impact on the adoption of evidence-based practices, and implementation issues ranging from skill building to quality control. With this knowledge, organizations can set realistic, attainable goals and achieve treatment outcomes that reflect the evidence base. Included in the coverage: Determining evidence for "what works." Organization change and technology transfer: theory and literature review. The current state of addiction treatment and community corrections. Unique challenges of evidence-based addiction treatment under community supervision. Assessing suitability of evidence-based practice in real-world settings. A conceptual model for implementing evidence-based treatment in community corrections. Implementing Evidence-Based Practices in Community Corrections and Addiction Treatment is a breakthrough volume for graduate- and postgraduate-level researchers in criminology, as well as policymakers and public health researchers.
Methadone Maintenance Treatment in the U. S. : A Practical Question and Answer Guide by
The abuse of heroin and other opiates is a serious and growing public health problem. According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 166,000 Americans use heroin. In addition, 4.4 million use opiate pain relievers (including Vicodin, Percodan, Percocet, and OxyContin) without a prescription. Abuse of legal pain relievers represents a growing category: in 2004, approximately 2.4 million Americans abused prescription pain relievers for the first time. In total, about 1.9% of Americans are abusing illegal or legal opiates. Furthermore, opiate dependence is increasing worldwide, and significantly exacerbating the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has been the primary form of treatment for opiate dependence in the U.S. for over 40 years. It involves providing drug abusers with a less addictive opiate (methadone) in a clinical setting, and then gradually tapering the methadone dosage. While on methadone, patients receive counseling and other medical treatments (i.e. hepatitis screening) as needed. The ability to provide all of these treatments in one location has made MMT the most effective treatment for opiate dependence to date. In the United States alone, there are more than 1,200 MMT programs, with an estimated staff of 20,000, serving more than 200,000 patients annually yet, to date, there has been no comprehensive, user-friendly professional reference book on these programs. This book fills the gap. It is written for a diverse audience, including clinicians, program administrators, substance abuse treatment researchers, and other health service professionals who want to learn about all aspects of MMT. Policy makers interested in establishing new programs, domestically and internationally, will find the information useful. The book offers insights into the effectiveness of methadone, and the characteristics of successful methadone treatment programs (budgets, services, staff, etc.), as well as regulation and accreditation issues. The information presented is based on a study of nearly 150 MMT programs in 15 states. About RTI International RTI International is dedicated to conducting research and development that improves the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. With a staff of more than 2,500, RTI offers innovative research and technical solutions to governments and businesses worldwide in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, demographic governance, economic and social development, advanced technology, energy, and the environment. The second largest independent nonprofit research organization in the United States, RTI maintains nine offices in the U.S., five internationally, and one international subsidiary, as well as project offices around the world. This book fills the gap. It is written for a diverse audience, including clinicians, program administrators, substance abuse treatment researchers, and other health service professionals who want to learn about all aspects of MMT. Policy makers interested in establishing new programs, domestically and internationally, will find the information useful. The book offers insights into the effectiveness of methadone, and the characteristics of successful methadone treatment programs (budgets, services, staff, etc.), as well as regulation and accreditation issues. The information presented is based on a study of nearly 150 MMT programs in 15 states.
Drugs and Society by
The focus of this edited collection is a thoughtful multidisciplinary presentation of past and present U.S. drug policies and whether they are winning the so-called war on drugs (they aren't!). For the great majority of ills ascribed to drugs are actually caused by the black market created by drug prohibition; the more successful the war on drugs is in making the drug trade a dangerous business, the greater are the profits from increased prices, and hence the greater the incidence of disease, corruption, social disorder, and death. Drugs and Society provides individuals with the information they need to construct an alternative policy.
Treating Substance Abusers in Correctional Contexts by
Get the latest information on new and emerging modalities for treating drug-involved offenders! Treating Substance Abusers in Correctional Contexts: New Understandings, New Modalities analyzes the shift in policy and attitude away from two decades of the harsh punishment that characterized the war on drugs toward a more treatment-oriented "medicalization" of the problem. Edited by Dr. Nathaniel J. Pallone, editor of the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation (Haworth), the book presents an overview of new and emerging models for treatment of drug-involved offenders in a variety of settings. An international panel of authors examines the "rather treat than fight" approach to the war on drugs proposed by the voters of California, the Governor and criminal court judges of New York, and Gen. Barry McCaffrey, former Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Treating Substance Abusers in Correctional Contexts looks at treatment modalities available to offenders inside and outside correctional institutions, with community organizations and mental health and social service agencies enlisted in a continuum of care as the courts and criminal justice system provide oversight--and often, funding. The book explores types of treatment that operate under the surveillance of courts and the criminal justice system, ranging from in-house programs for offenders under confinement in prisons and jails to residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) and substance abuse treatment (SAT) programs in the community. Through qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive studies, outcome assessments, event-history analysis, and intensive interviews, the book examines recovery relapse prevention, rehabilitation, diversion, therapeutic justice, and the impact of prison-based substance abuse treatment programs. Treating Substance Abusers in Correctional Contexts also examines: the impact of deterrence versus rehabilitation on recidivism in the Drug Treatment Alternative-to-Incarceration Program (DTAP) in a major metropolitan area criminal violence and drug use in residential treatment facilities Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) programs for young offenders the long-term effectiveness of an adult drug court program illicit drug and injecting equipment markets inside English prisons and a clinical case report on children exposed in utero to crack cocaine Treating Substance Abusers in Correctional Contexts: New Understandings, New Modalities is must reading for graduate and undergraduate courses in criminal justice, corrections, offender rehabilitation, and substance abuse. The book is equally valuable as a primary textbook for continuing education coursework for counselors, psychologists, social workers, corrections officers, correctional administrators, and policymakers.
Clinical Interventions in Criminal Justice Settings: Evidence Based Practice by
Clinical Interventions in Criminal Justice Settings balances theoretical frameworks and research methodology to examine the effective evidence-based practices and principles for populations within the criminal justice system. The book explores the major clinical issues that are relevant for adopting evidence-based practices and demonstrates how to implement them. Topics include legislation, law enforcement, courts, corrections, actuarial assessment instruments, treatment fidelity, diverse populations, mental illness, substance use and juvenile delinquency. Clinical Interventions in Criminal Justice Settings models opportunities for evidence-based practice during entry into the criminal justice system (arrest), prosecution (court, pretrial release, jail, and prison), sentencing (community supervision, incarceration), and corrections (jail, prison, probation and parole).
Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do about It: A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs by
Our drug prohibition policy is hopeless, just as Prohibition, our alcohol prohibition policy, was before it. Today there are more drugs in our communities and at lower prices and higher strengths than ever before. We have built large numbers of prisons, but they are overflowing with non-violent drug offenders. The huge profits made from drug sales are corrupting people and institutions here and abroad. And far from being protected by our drug prohibition policy, our children are being recruited by it to a lifestyle of drug use and drug selling. Judge Gray's book drives a stake through the heart of the War on Drugs. After documenting the wide-ranging harms caused by this failed policy, Judge Gray also gives us hope. We have viable options. The author evaluates these options, ranging from education and drug treatment to different strategies for taking the profit out of drug-dealing. Many officials will not say publicly what they acknowledge privately about the failure of the War on Drugs. Politicians especially are afraid of not appearing tough on drugs. But Judge Gray's conclusions as a veteran trial judge and former federal prosecutor are reinforced by the testimonies of more than forty other judges nationwide.
