Venturing into uncharted territory, mother and award-winning journalist Meredith Maran takes us inside teenagers'
hearts, minds, and central nervous systems to explore the causes and consequences of our nation's drug crisis.
In these pages we get to know the kids, the parents, the therapists, and the drug treatment programs at their best
and worst. We're face-to-face with seventeen-year-old Mike, whose life revolves around selling, smoking, and snorting
speed; fifteen-year-old Tristan -- the boy next door -- who can't get enough pot, pills, or vodka; and sixteen-year-old
Zalika, a runaway, crack dealer, and prostitute since the age of twelve. Combining powerful on-the-street reporting
and groundbreaking research, Dirty is essential reading for every parent and professional who works with or cares
about children or teenagers.