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

One Pill: Fighting Fentanyl Investigation

The fentanyl crisis is killing more Texans than ever before. Victims are getting younger and most people don’t even know they’re taking it. It’s extremely easy to overdose on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, and people are losing their loved ones. They want you to hear their stories so that they can hopefully help save a life and prevent others from going through what they went through. Some of them have formed non-profit organizations to spread the message. You’ll also learn more about drug trafficking and how law enforcement is attempting to combat the overdose crisis.
April 24, 2025

The Meth Epidemic – PBS Frontline

This video investigates meth addiction in America: the impact on individuals, families and communities, and the difficulty of controlling an essential ingredient in meth—ephedrine and pseudoephedrine—sold legally in over-the-counter cold remedies.
April 24, 2025

What Makes Ecstasy So Dangerous? (VICE: High Society)

British people statistically take more MDMA in one session than any other country on the planet. And not just a little bit more: on average, Brits take 420 milligrams per session. To put that in perspective, Germans, the same people who invented minimal techno and nightclubs that stay open for 60 hours – take only 200 milligrams. It’s still one of the safest drugs to take, but last year, ecstasy-related deaths reached their highest level in a decade, and now it’s back in the headlines. Some people say it’s drug dealers’ responsibility for selling pills that are dangerously strong and cut with adulterants. Other people point to the government, who have failed to reduce the supply of ecstasy and are refusing to embrace harm reduction strategies that have worked in Europe. Of course it’s also possible that the issue lies with British drug users themselves, who sometimes need reminding that the barometer of a good night out isn’t how much of your tongue is left at the end of it. In this episode of High Society, we find out what’s making ecstasy so dangerous again, and how that danger can be reduced.
April 23, 2025

Afghanistan: The Billion Dollar Drug War

Drug use in Afghanistan is at an all-time high. With NATO forces withdrawing and local law enforcement authorities having little to no funding, the poppy fields are thriving. In this documentary, 101 East investigates how Afghan authorities are fighting to regulate the return of poppy farming, the ramifications of the global war on drugs, and what the future holds for this vulnerable nation. Fortunately, there is one woman in Kabul who works endlessly to help addicts.
April 23, 2025

Benzo Dope & Tranq: The Next Wave of the Overdose Crisis

More than 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2021, the worst year on record. The newest wave of the overdose crisis involves man-made chemicals, including animal tranquilizers, that are being combined with fentanyl to make street drugs that are deadlier and more addictive. With access to an undisguised fentanyl dealer, Beyond Fentanyl looks at how drugs like “benzo dope” and “tranq” are ravaging North American communities and how U.S. policy affected the latest flood of synthetic street drugs.
April 23, 2025

Cocaine White Gold (National Geographic: Drugs, Inc)

This episode of Drugs, Inc shows how cocaine makes it way from a Peruvian farm crap and travels 4,500 miles to reach its users. In the USA, over four million people regularly use cocaine. This powerful stimulant is worth more than gold, and every year Americans spend over $37 billion on the drug. Los Angeles, California, is one of the USA’s largest coke markets.