Addiction by Prescription: One Woman's Triumph And Fight For Change

Joan Gadsby's four-year-old son lost his battle with cancer in 1966. To help her cope with overwhelming grief, her doctor prescribed tranquilizers, and so began her descent into the world of addiction. Over the next two decades, she slowly lost her professional credibility; her relationships with family and friends disintegrated, and her financial stability vanished. She was arrested several times, and was written off as an addict or psychotic, until an accidental overdose in 1990 gave her the strength to beat her addiction. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to change to laws regarding prescribing tranquilizers. She interviewed countless consumers, doctors, health care professionals, pharmaceutical reps and researchers to bring this issue to light.