The Addict
Michael Stein
Morrow, Mar 31 2009, $25.99
ISBN: 9780061368134

In 2008, the most commonly prescribed drug in the United States is Vicodin. Not well known is that Vicodin shares a close "DNA" chemical imprinting with the illegal opiates. With that background, Dr. Stein provides a profound look at helping a Vicodin addict kick the habit, physically and psychologically. Twenty-nine years old Lucy Fields visited Dr. Field having become totally addicted to Vicodin after using it for years. Lucy is a college graduate coming from an affluent family. She is fully aware of her health crisis, which brought her to the medical school professor for treatment.

This terrific memoir filled with pathos and compassion will nuke the concept held dearly by talking heads who refuse to accept American pharmaceutical addiction as a health issue perhaps even worse than the illegal drug problems they prefer to rant about. Dr. Stein stays professional for the most part except for some minor well-earned pontification. However, Lucy puts a human face on medically treating legal addictions as readers will be spellbound by her real story.

Harriet Klausner