drug abuse

Explores the history of the opioid crisis in the United States, and features ways to take action to help those struggling with addiction. Includes color photographs, a timeline, a glossary, and additional resources.

"Big Tobacco meets Silicon Valley in this corporate expos? of what happened when two of the most notorious industries collided-and the vaping epidemic was born"--Adapted from publisher description.

Journalist David Sheff tells the story of his son Nic's happy early childhood, the transformation wrought by Nic's addiction to methamphetamine, and his own obsession with his son's well-being.

"From the bestselling author of Dreamland, a searing follow-up that explores the terrifying next stages of the opioid epidemic and the quiet yet ardent stories of community repair. Sam Quinones traveled from Mexico to main streets across the U.S. to create Dreamland, a groundbreaking portrait of the opioid epidemic that awakened the nation. As the nation struggled to put back the pieces, Quinones was among the first to see the dangers that lay ahead: synthetic drugs and a new generation of kingpins whose product could be made in Magic Bullet blenders. In fentanyl, traffickers landed a painkiller a hundred times more powerful than morphine. They laced it into cocaine, meth, and counterfeit pills to cause tens of thousands of deaths-at the same time as Mexican traffickers made methamphetamine cheaper and more potent than ever, creating, Sam argues, swaths of mental illness and a surge in homelessness across the United States. Quinones hit the road to investigate these new threats, discovering how addiction is exacerbated by consumer-product corporations. "In a time when drug traffickers act like corporations and corporations like traffickers," he writes, "our best defense, perhaps our only defense, lies in bolstering community." Amid a landscape of despair, Quinones found hope in those embracing the forgotten and ignored, illuminating the striking truth that we are only as strong as our most vulnerable. Weaving analysis of the drug trade into stories of humble communities, The Least of Us delivers an unexpected and awe-inspiring response to the call that shocked the nation in Sam Quinones's award-winning Dreamland" -- publisher summary.

"Quentin Vennie shouldn't be alive. He has walked a path that many don't live long enough to write about. Growing up in Baltimore, he was surrounded by nothing but dead ends. Statistics mapped out his future, and he grew hostile toward a world that viewed him with suspicion and disdain. He's been shot at, sold drugs up and down the East Coast, lingered on the brink of incarceration, and stared down death more than once. Haunted by feelings of abandonment and resentment, he struggled with chronic anxiety and depression and battled a crippling prescription drug addiction. The day he contemplated taking his life was the day he rediscovered his purpose for living. Vennie's survival depended upon his finding a new path, but he didn't know where to turn. His doctor was concerned only with prescribing more medication. Vennie refused, and in a desperate attempt to save his own life, decided to pursue a journey of natural healing. After researching a few self-healing methods, he immediately bought a juicer from an all-night grocery store. He started juicing in the hopes that it would help him repair his body and clear his mind. He jumped headfirst into the world of wellness and started incorporating yoga and meditation into his life. This 'wellness trinity' helped him cut back on and then quit the many medications he was on, overcome his addictions, and ultimately, transform his life while inspiring others to find their own unique path to wellness. Strong in the Broken Places is the harrowing story of Vennie's life, the detours that almost ended it, and the inspiring turns that saved it. The odds were stacked against him, but he was able to defy expectations and claw his way out on his own terms"--Provided by publisher.

Jackson finds himself in over his head when he tries to save Abby from her drug-dealer boyfriend.

"Darren Taylor is an all-state defensive end on one of the top teams in Houston. Only football promises to take him away from his gang-filled neighborhood in Houston's Third Ward. But during a preseason scrimmage, Darren tears up his right shoulder, taking him out for the season. The sudden uncertainty sends Darren into a spiral, leading to an addiction to pain pills that threatens to end his football career--and, maybe, his life"--Provided by publisher.

Cason Martin has become the youngest ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory, and it is not really her choice--her mother, the conservatory's artistic director, has made all of Cason's decisions for her, and being a ballerina was not Cason's choice. Soon, however, there will be no choice for anyone--Cason has been hiding a serious injury, worse than anyone could imagine.

Miles barely recalls when football was fun after being sidelined by a new coach, constantly criticized by his father, and pressured by his best friend to take performance-enhancing drugs.

Jackson finds himself in over his head when he tries to save Abby from her drug-dealer boyfriend.