Within the same series, social work professors Herie and Skinner (both, Toronto) offer another slender, information-packed volume, Substance Abuse in Canada. While the authors make fewer comparative references to substance abuse problems beyond Canada, they show the immensity of the Canadian addiction problem, costing Canadians approximately $40 billion annually. As in the US, the legal drugs of alcohol and tobacco dominate all illicit ones in presenting more immense substance abuse and dependency problems in Canada. The authors devote a separate chapter to opiates and opioids. Though the authors probably faced very demanding word length restrictions, it seems that a glaring omission was made in failing to cover all other drug abuses beyond the three groups mentioned. The authors do a creditworthy job in offering addiction and abuse conceptualizations, discussing biological, psychological, and sociocultural causal influences. The book is concise and clearly written, delves into some of the leading social policy controversies surrounding addictions, and is thoroughly up-to-date on the latest writings on the subject. Those seeking quick and broad-ranging knowledge of Canadian child poverty and substance use will be able to satisfy their wishes very well with these two volumes. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Both titles. All levels/libraries. Copyright 2010 American Library Association.