April 24, 2025

New York City’s Opioid Drug History: A Relentless Cycle

Using an opioid for a pain relief drug has a long history in New York City, where they were introduced as unregulated medicine: doctors began prescribing morphine pills to housewives in the 1880s. Journalist Christopher Booker uncovers New York’s history with opioids – from plant-based morphine, opium and heroin to lab-produced drugs like fentanyl – in a half-hour film about drug addiction, medical treatment, and drug criminalization over the course of decades. [Taken from YT description]
April 24, 2025

The Opioid Crisis – It Impacts Us All

The opioid crisis — ranging from prescription painkillers to heroin and fentanyl — claims a life every 11 minutes in the United States, with at least five deaths each day in Florida alone. The likelihood of dying from an accidental opioid overdose has now surpassed that of dying in a car crash.. This is the story of one community determined to challenge these devastating statistics and fight back against an opioid epidemic tearing lives apart. Told through the voices of victims, front-line heroes, and dedicated community partners, it’s a powerful tale of pain, loss, and hope in Orange County, Florida.
April 24, 2025

Fentanyl: The Drug Deadlier than Heroin (VICE)

In 2015, nearly 300 people in Alberta lost their lives to fentanyl, with many of these fatalities linked to counterfeit, non-pharmaceutical pills. VICE offers an intimate and immersive feature film that delves into the fentanyl crisis in Canada, told through the lens of a community of drug users.
April 24, 2025

Kensington: Inside America’s Largest Open-Air Drug Market

Peter Santello creates “videos about a world the media fails to capture” (source). In this video, he travels to Kensington, Philadelphia to speak with a local man named Buddy Osborn, who reached out to him to tell him about “the horrific realities of open-air drug markets.” Buddy and his organization, The Rock, help “to get kids out of crime and drugs and into a healthier environment built upon confidence and clarity.”
April 24, 2025

A Second Shot: Drug Addiction in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has one of the highest drug addiction rates in the world, with the Taliban estimating that around four million people are affected nationwide. Babrak, a former mujahideen fighter, was once part of this struggle. Now, he’s dedicated to helping others detox at one of the capital’s underfunded drug rehabilitation centers. Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, international aid has been withdrawn, and public services are on the brink of collapse. Despite these challenges, Babrak and a small team of medical staff continue to offer hope as the Taliban's harsh anti-drug policies are enforced.
April 24, 2025

Coming KLEAN: Stories of Overcoming Addiction

This documentary follows the journeys of individuals who have confronted and overcome addiction. Through distinct chapters that explore the onset, the struggle, the recovery process, and their lives today, the film offers an in-depth look at the complexities of addiction, its profound impact, and the transformative power of recovery. Its goal is to break down the stigma and shift the conversation about addiction in a more compassionate and understanding direction.
April 24, 2025

The Journey from Addiction to Recovery: A Playlist of Over 40 Stories

This playlist is a powerful source of inspiration that will take you on a journey from addiction to recovery. It features real-life experiences of individuals who overcame their struggle with addiction and found a new way of life through sobriety. You’ll hear firsthand about the challenges they faced, the losses they endured, and the strength it took to get sober. But most importantly, this playlist is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit in the midst of adversity. Every story shared is a reminder that it’s never too late to change your life for the better. So, if you’re struggling with addiction or know someone who is, take heart in the powerful message of this playlist that you too can overcome and rise above your circumstances to find a better, healthier way of life.
April 24, 2025

The Road to Recovery: 6 Personal Stories

This compelling documentary features six people who detail their poignant journey from addiction to recovery, including discussions of relapse. They discuss their childhood trauma and it is evident that these distressing experiences propelled their addictions. The emotional pain, too much to bare, led to their substance abuse because, as they describe, being intoxicated was a relief, a break, from their lives. They all hit their own personal rock bottoms and each found recovery through various treatment options.
April 24, 2025

Addiction & Homeless Crisis – Seattle is Dying

This documentary explores the intertwined crises of addiction and homelessness in Seattle. It tells the story of a deep, simmering frustration that is escalating into anger and outrage. It highlights the experiences of people who have felt compassion, but no longer feel safe, heard, or protected. It’s about lost individuals roaming the streets, disconnected from home, family, or reality, chasing a drug that in turn relentlessly pursues them. The film examines not only the harm they inflict upon themselves, but also the toll it takes on the very fabric of the community. It speaks of a once-beautiful city now damaged, and a crisis of faith among Seattleites who are losing their connection to the place they once loved. But there’s another side to this story—a potential solution, a glimmer of hope in a city that seems to have run out of ideas. The question remains: what if Seattle is dying, and we don’t even realize it?