"Smack", Melvin Burgess

What did you like about the book or dislike?

I really enjoyed the book I had chosen because now I can relate and understand what a user faces on a daily bases. It opened my eyes and mind to another world of life on drugs. I live on the lower west side and knew a tons of drugs users, some are even the parents of my friends or my old friends from elementary school. It bothers me to see that they have decided that weed or crack is the way to solve all their problems and now because of Melvin Burgess' book, I in a way comprehend why. A user was a person who was crying out for help and received it from the wrong person. It so happened that the answer to their cry was none other than a drug. Since no adult, friend or family member would be willing to help deal with the issue at hand the right way a person that is going through emotional stress and drama will be quick to aspect a drug instead. And weather it was weed, alcohol or heroin, that person is now trapped and it's a long road to recovery when now your issue is has multiplied and help is limited.


I wouldn't have even thought for a second that getting off drugs was as hard as the book showed me. I thought it was a users excuse, their way of getting someone off their back but I was wrong. I was also wrong about pressuring a person into quiting because all a user knows is that a drug will take it all away. I enjoyed this book because now I feel I may be able to help a user, with the do's and don't's this book has showed me. And that I may be able to make a difference now because of "Smack"!