Review by Booklist Review
Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death in the U.S. today, ranking above suicides, guns, or car accidents. Between 2010 and 2015, the number of overdose deaths from prescription painkillers and other legal and illegal opioids in the U.S. rose from 16,000 to almost 22,000, while heroin deaths went from 3,000 to almost 13,000. This book describes how and why people of all ages, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic status, and geographic location struggle with addiction. Readers learn how to identify signs of addiction and overdose, while addicts in recovery and their family members including YA author Ellen Hopkins, whose daughter struggles with methamphetamine addiction tell their stories. Drug treatment programs, including controversial ones, and their effectiveness are discussed. The connection between addiction and mental health disorders is covered, as are relapse and recovery struggles. Source notes, glossary, selected bibliography, further information, and index are included. Despite some textual confusion, the information offered, presented with sidebars and infographics, makes this a solid choice for student research reports.--Rawlins, Sharon Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-This title not only concisely details addiction and overdose from a scientific perspective but also incorporates the personal stories of famous and average U.S. families who have dealt with the experience firsthand. (The author dedicates the book to her sister Kerri, "who battled the twin demons of depression and opioid use for many years.") Goldsmith offers relevant data on drugs and addiction and continually circles back to the long process of recovery. The role of pharmaceutical companies in contributing to the crisis is also discussed. Stories such as Prince's or best-selling author Ellen Hopkins's daughter's emphasize the dangers of prescription and illegal substances and provide commentary on how to confront this issue. Back matter is extensive. Though the scientific explanations of how addiction takes hold are complex, this is important information. With an abundance of photographs, graphs, text boxes, neatly labeled subheadings, definitions, and quotations, this well-structured text reads like narrative nonfiction. VERDICT Purchase this selection to update collections on social issues related to drugs and addiction.-Alicia -Abdul, -Albany High School, NY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This examination of the titular public health challenge includes the usual coverage: history of drug addiction, susceptibility, social impact, treatment, and future outlook. Goldsmith's book stands out for its sections confronting the medical industry's role in the current problem and the legal liabilities incurred by doctors who overprescribe opiates. Plentiful stock photos and infographics are included. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A chronicle exposing facts and challenges confronting drug addiction and overdose in America. Health and science writer Goldsmith returns with another formidable topic for young readers. Covering everything from the stigma of addiction to its effects on the brain and body, the book also divulges lesser-known information, such as the racial stereotyping that affects physicians' behavior: "Doctors prescribe narcotics more cautiously to black patients." Quoting a New York Times editorial, the text delves into how Congress has historically treated drug abuse as a disease afflicting mostly poor, minority communities by locking people up and observes how the epidemic of drug-overdose deaths is now ravaging white populations. In light of this, the book could have spent more time talking about the relationships between pharmaceutical companies and physicians. Goldsmith tailors some information to her audience: "More people start using illegal drugs between the ages of sixteen and seventeen than at any other age." The design includes tips for teens, chapter summaries of statistics, charts, graphics, and photos, as well as relevant boxed-out information. While the information presented is thorough and the facts imperative, the dire subject matter does not make for a page-turner; important details, facts, and figures risk dilution by the dozens of accounts and examples reported. Reading at times rather like a commercial for recovery programs, this text may be best suited to a health class covering the subject matter; nevertheless, a crucial topic. (index, further information, glossary, selected bibliography, source notes) (Nonfiction. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
