Homelessness

Addiction, Documentaries

Cocaine & Fentanyl: Destroying Lives (Addicted: The Narco Plague)

Belgium, Cocaine, Colombia, Crime, Drug Trafficking, Fentanyl, Homelessness, Latin America, Law Enforcement, Netherlands, Opioid Crisis, Overdose, Portugal, Poverty, Sweden, Tranquilizers, USA, Youth

CNA traverses the front lines of various countries to investigate the world of illicit substances in Addicted. This three-part documentary series offers a rare, unfiltered look at the global production, trafficking and consumption of traditional and synthetic drugs.

In this second episode, Destructive Cocaine and Fentanyl: Unraveling the Harrowing Impact on Lives, their investigation begins in Colombia’s Catatumbo region, where violent cartels fight for control of cocaine routes, displacing over 50,000 farmers. Next, in Belgium’s Antwerp Port — known for being the cocaine capital of Europe — they examine the difficulities that law enforcement face in reducing the flow of cocaine trafficking. They then travel to Sweden and the Netherlands, where gangs recruit children for brutal gang wars, shattering communities and ruining lives. Lastly, ending in Philadelphia, USA, the documentary looks at how open-air drug markets and synthetic opioids like fentanyl are driving a growing public health crisis.

Addiction, Documentaries

Camp Pheonix: Inside Afghanistan’s Heroin Hell

Afghanistan, Homelessness, Opioid Crisis, Poverty, Prevention & Treatment, Public Health

This documentary, created by an independent reporter named Akshay, shows the growing drug crisis in Afghanistan through on-the-ground footage, interviews and real stories of people suffering from addiction and those seeking to provide support. Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, international aid has been withdrawn, and public services are on the brink of collapse. Babrak, a former mujahideen fighter and once an addict himself, now runs Camp Pheonix, a rehabilitation center. Though the conditions here are poor, he believes it's still better than the streets. Despite these challenges, he and a small team of medical staff continue to offer hope as the Taliban’s harsh anti-drug policies are enforced.

Addiction, Documentaries

Through a Blue Lens

Canada, Cocaine, Frontline Workers, Heroin, Homelessness, Law Enforcement, North America, Overdose, Personal Stories, Poverty, Public Health, Recovery, Youth

Through a Blue Lens is a 1999 documentary from the National Film Board of Canada that offers an unfiltered look at life in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside through the eyes of the police officers who patrol it daily. Filmed by Vancouver…

Addiction, Documentaries

Injecting Hope: Tackling Drug Overdose With Harm Reduction

A woman sitting and speaking to a homeless man living in a tent with the title, ABC 7: Injecting Hope.

Canada, Frontline Workers, Harm Reduction, Homelessness, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Methadone, Naloxone, Non-Profits, North America, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Poverty, Public Health, Recovery, Stigma

Injecting Hope offers an unflinching, ground-level examination of the drug overdose crisis in North America and explores the potential role of harm reduction initiatives, such as safe injection sites, in addressing the epidemic. ABC7 News reporter Tara Campbell takes viewers…

Addiction, Interviews

How I Became a Drug Addict – Ariel

Ariel sitting on the pavement against a pillar discussing how she became an addict.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Childhood Trauma, Homelessness, Personal Stories, Poverty, PTSD, Sexual Abuse, Trauma

Meet Ariel, a 30-year-old drug addict living on the streets in Miami. As she tells her story, you begin to realize that she has been failed by her family and government systems time and time again. Despite all her battles,…

Addiction, Documentaries

A Second Shot: Drug Addiction in Afghanistan

Cover photo for Ibn Sina: One of Kabul’s Largest Drug Rehabilitation Centres

Afghanistan, Asia, Homelessness, Poverty, Prevention & Treatment

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…

Social Justice & Civil Rights, Documentaries

Lost Angeles: City of Homelessness

Cover photo for Lost Angeles: Homelessness in Los Angeles

Homelessness, North America, Personal Stories, Poverty, Public Health, Stigma, USA

Homelessness in Los Angeles is a deep-rooted and multifaceted issue that has persisted for decades. Despite numerous efforts to address it, the problem continues to grow year after year. This documentary explores the underlying causes of homelessness, which is arguably…

Addiction, Short-Form Content

“I Visited The Hidden Tunnel Community of Las Vegas”

Homelessness, Non-Profits, North America, Personal Stories, Poverty, Public Health, USA

Did you know that a homeless community of over 1,500 people are living in tunnels beneath Las Vegas? Beneath the billion-dollar casinos, upscale nightclubs, and Michelin-star restaurants lies an underground world that seems almost unbelievable—until you see it for yourself.…

Addiction, Documentaries

Seattle is Dying: The Addiction & Homelessness Crisis

Crime, Homelessness, Law Enforcement, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Methadone, North America, Poverty, Public Health, Suboxone, USA, Vivitrol

Seattle is Dying 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…

Addiction, Documentaries

Zombies of Nairobi: Children Lost to Inhalants

Africa, Homelessness, Inhalant Use Disorder, Inhalants, Kenya, Poverty, Youth

A population of young people in Kenya, known as the Zombies of Nairobi, wander the streets in a daze, seemingly half alive due to consuming dangerous inhalants. The campsites where they live are filled with mounds of garbage and create…