Adler, P. A., Adler, P., & O’Brien, P. K. (2012). Drugs and the American dream: An anthology. Wiley-Blackwell.

This collection of peer-reviewed articles has been one of my favorite texts of my time as a BSW and MSW student. The authors provide a unique view into the different aspects of substance use and how they are weaved into the fabric of American society. The anthology is broken into different themes focusing on the social construction of drug use and drug “scares”, patterns of drug addiction and recovery, law enforcement and anti-drug policies, and how different cultures have different meanings attached to drugs and drug use.

The collection also addresses the many racial and socioeconomic biases attached to drug use and drug users and how anti-drug policies have been used to oppress and control different populations.  For example, one part addresses the “War on Drugs” and how it has actually done more harm than good by leading to racially biased mass incarcerations and stigmatization. It can be easy to overlook the centuries of racially motivated “drug laws” that were put in place to control and oppress already marginalized communities. This text does a great job at providing a historical view of why drug laws were put into place and the real individuals that were adversely affected. As this book describes, the “War on Drugs” was never about eradicating the drug supply but rather about controlling populations through racism, discrimination and fear mongering.

For me, as an individual who is in long-term recovery from substance use and a social worker, it provided a dual lens of personal validation and societal context to better understand addiction and recovery. This text challenges the mainstream narratives about drugs and drug users that fuel stigma and oppression. It challenged me to move beyond the conventional stereotypes and to acknowledge the intersection of societal issues and race, sex, gender, and sexual orientation. This reading continues to help me build empathy, awareness and unconditional positive regard when engaging with individuals who use substances or have substance use issues. It has helped me grow in my personal recovery and my career as a social worker.