April 25, 2025

Poison Pill: San Diego’s Battle Against Fentanyl

NBC 7 decided to dig deeper, beyond the headlines and statistics, to understand how and why this fentanyl emergency has unfolded in San Diego County, as well as the impact the crisis is having in our communities and finally, what work needs to be done to fight what’s being called an epidemic. During our journey, we spoke with parents who’ve lost their kids, overdose survivors, academic and medical professionals, representatives of government agencies and activists. Their stories from the front lines of this battle are raw, honest and sometimes frightening. Through telling these stories, we hope San Diegans can better understand the magnitude of the fentanyl crisis and what we need to do together to protect our families from that next poison pill.
April 25, 2025

Addiction: The Science Behind (NOVA PBS)

This incredibly informative documentary from NOVA PBS discusses opioid addiction, highlighting that addiction is not a moral failing, but rather, a treatable chronic medical condition. It provides a general overview of the science behind addiction, detailing how dopamine, the reward pathway, and other brain regions change as a result of substance abuse, and how these changes result in drug-seeking behaviours and withdrawal. While there are several personal stories from those affected by addiction, the primary focus of this documentary is to provide education on the science behind addiction and the importance of evidence-based treatments.
April 25, 2025

Contaminated: The Fentanyl Crisis in St. Louis

Fentanyl is the defining drug of the overdose epidemic in St. Louis. It has no taste or smell, even a handful of it could kill thousands of people. It reaches into every corner of society, suburbs and cities, rich and poor, black and white. Many who become addicted have no idea they’re even taking it and it’s caused drug addiction in the region to spiral out of control. More than 70% of overdose deaths in the St. Louis area now involve fentanyl. We spent months looking into the local crisis. This story is told by recovering addicts, those fighting for change, and those left behind.