This documentary examines Afghanistan's addiction crisis and the challenges people seeking recovery face inside a former U.S. military base that was converted into a large drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. Independent reporter Akshay documents severe shortages of medication, staff, and resources while speaking with patients and those working to support them. The film also follows Babrak, a former mujahideen fighter and recovering addict, while exploring how decades of war, poverty, unemployment, and drug availability have shaped substance use and treatment in Afghanistan.
TOPICS: Afghanistan, Heroin, Homelessness, Opioids, Poverty, Prevention & Treatment, Public Health
Inside one of Kabul's largest drug rehabilitation centres, A Second Shot offers a stark look at addiction in Afghanistan through the experiences of residents, families, volunteers, and staff. The documentary follows those living inside the centre as they endure severe withdrawal, homelessness, poverty, family breakdown, and limited access to medication and basic care. Set against Afghanistan's strained healthcare system and declining international aid, it explores the human consequences of addiction and the challenges of providing treatment with few resources.
This documentary investigates Afghanistan's booming opium trade and the complex challenges driving one of the world's largest illicit drug economies. Travelling from poppy fields to addiction hotspots, the film examines how poverty, conflict, corruption, and political instability have fueled both heroin production and widespread drug use. Through interviews with farmers, law enforcement officials, healthcare workers, and people affected by addiction, it explores the limitations of anti-drug efforts while highlighting the far-reaching consequences of the opium trade for Afghanistan and the international community.
TOPICS: Afghanistan, Drug Trafficking, Heroin, Homelessness, Law Enforcement, Opioids, Poverty, Public Health
