The popular image was of an addict suddenly seeing the light. Now “ready” for treatment, she found a path forward and all was good. Barrett found that was hardly ever the case; reality was a lot messier. Most had to be prodded; many rebelled or had no confidence that they could succeed after years of being shunned, stinking, hated, and now stained with tattoos that felt as permanent as their addictions. Life seemed impossible without dope. Amid all this, assuming that hardened street addicts would just suddenly be “ready” for treatment was dangerous folly. Instead, said Mimi Zarzar, Barrett’s
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