HBO's vaunted 14-part documentary "Addiction" has won an Emmy award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The series was honored with the Governors Award, the Academy's highest honor, which is given in recognition of programming that demonstrates commitment to important social causes. The other 2007 Governors Award winner was American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" segment.

"We salute these programs for harnessing the power of television to educate and inform viewers about two very significant issues that touch all of us," said Academy chairman Dick Askin.

"HBO's 'Addiction' was a landmark venture that stripped away misconceptions about addition and offered hope to addicts and their loved ones with information about new and effective treatments," Askin added.

The Emmy was presented to "Addiction" collaborators HBO, funder The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

During her acceptance speech in Los Angeles, NIDA director Nora Volkow thanked the Academy as well as HBO for its "vision in developing this project, which has allowed us to reach millions with our message -- that addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease. It does not care if you are rich or poor, famous or unknown, a man or woman, or even a child. If science-based treatment principles are followed, addiction treatment can work, and people can reclaim their lives." 

Editor's note: Visit AddictionAction.org to learn more about the ADDICTION series and how you can use it to create positive change in your community.