"Addiction is a topic that straddles public and personal interests; societal and criminal justice issues; and family, social, and medical responses. It is a continuing area of uncertainty and concern for society and trained professionals. This Very Short Introduction presents the basic facts about addiction: what it is, how and why it develops, how it is treated, and how society can respond to it. Keith Humphreys considers why some people become addicted and others do not, what treatments work and why, and how laws and regulations about drugs affect the frequency and experience of addiction"-- Back cover.

Preface:Tragedy and mystery of addiction -- Acknowledgments -- List of illustrations -- Understanding the terrain -- Nature of addiction -- Causes of addiction -- Recovery and treatment -- Cultural and public policy approaches to addiction -- Future of addiction -- References -- Further reading -- Index.