If the reaction one has to drugs is an issue worth considering, the reaction of the general public to drug addicts is of even greater significance. Public reactions often (sadly) determine public policy, regardless of whether logic and history support such decisions.
Arthur Blume, a professor at Washington State University in Vancouver and renowned psychologist in the field of addiction, wrote a book called Treating Drug Problems that is probably the best Drug Addiction and Treatment 101 course you can find. It’s not written for students of Addiction Science, nor for experts in the field. It is not a self-help book for those struggling to overcome addiction, and it’s not a guide for families of addicts.
It is a tool for just about anyone who wants an enlightened explanation of the nature of addiction, the biopsychological model as it applies to the topic (biology, environment, behavior as factors behind addiction), risk and protective factors, and theories behind recovery programs and relapse prevention.