This is an original and valuable book for mental health or substance abuse trainees interested in learning how to treat addiction. Dr. Levin employs the ingenious technique of supplying basic questions and then answering them in a thoughtful way. In adopting this approach, he has created a well-organized and approachable text that is a pleasure to read.

Marc Galantar, New York University School of Medicine, M.D., professor of psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine

Dr. Jerome Levin's Primer for Treating Substance Abusers is as basic as it gets. At the same time, it is erudite and comprehensive in reviewing each class of abused drug and the etiologies and treatments of substance use disorders. His scholarly focus on theory is eloquently complemented by compelling case examples. Through his review of theory and his cases, Dr. Levin reveals the complex nature of addictive vulnerability, its tragic consequences when unchecked, and the considerable hope for transformation and recovery when it is properly understood and treated. Beyond the practical and erudite aspects of his primer, Dr. Levin's clarify of writing, the many questions raised (and answered), and keen sense of humor make this book very engaging and readable.

Edward J. Khantzian, M.D., Harvard Medical School; Tewksbury Hospital

This very readable book provides mental health professionals with a wonderfully comprehensive orientation toward addiction treatment. The author offers his extensive experience, rich case material, and summarizes and critiques the claims of leading thinkers and practitioners. He highlights fine points of clinical practice and describes broad strategies and tactics of treatment. He also explains diagnosis, etiology, theory, and research about addiction in historical and cultural contexts, and demonstrates how these contexts, if ignored, can thwart treatment efforts. In these ways this book is a detailed road map for mental health professionals who must guide addicts through obstacles, dead ends, and traps that mark the path to recovery.

Sanford Weinstein, Ed.D., C.S.W., New York University