This book is essential reading for those wishing to find out about the nature and philosophy of addiction, and issues concerning addiction from a particularly American point of view by an author pre-eminent in his field -- White House 'drug czar' to President Ford and also first Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse... The book must be read and can only enhance and enrich one's approach to the complex and diverse problem of addiction. It should be read by everyone including addicts and their families. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry This is a remarkable book in its scope, conviction, and perspective...Dupont provides a storehouse of useful and persuasive data, personal reflections, and his extensive clinical experience to support his position... He is forceful in his point of view, which is a strength of this book. It could be powerfully persuasive and helpful for those who need and can accept such a rigid approach. JAMA The author is an expert in prevention and treatment of drug addiction, and he clearly cares passionately about drug abuse and its victims. This book will benefit all who are interested in ideas about the causes and cures of drug addiction. Choice This is a truly remarkable book -- remarkable in its scope, its wisdom, and its clarity. Dr. DuPont has drawn upon his lifetime career experience as a psychiatrist specializing in drug abuse and as a former government official (first Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse) to produce this most interesting account... What has been learned from basic research on the biologic basis of drug-seeking behavior is simplified for the nonscientist reader to understand. The properties of the several families of addictive drugs are explained fully and correctly. And the sections on drug policy and the societal dangers of a culture that tolerates drug use are exemplary in this reviewer's opinion. Especially persuasive are the arguments against any form of drug legalization. Avram Goldstein, M.D., Addiction
