Medication-Assisted Treatment

Addiction, Documentaries

Prescription for Addiction (2014) CAMH Documentary

Canada, Frontline Workers, Harm Reduction, Indigenous Communities, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Methadone, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Prevention & Treatment, Public Health

The rising addiction to prescription opioids has become a widespread crisis, affecting people across all social and economic backgrounds. Whether it starts with legitimate pain treatment or the misuse of illegally obtained medications, the consequences are deeply harmful to individuals, families, and entire communities. This raises critical questions: What are the consequences of making such powerful and addictive drugs easily accessible? How can we ensure people in pain receive the care they need while minimizing the risk of addiction? And how should we support those whose lives have been deeply affected by opioid misuse?

Addiction, Documentaries

Poison Pill: San Diego’s Battle Against Fentanyl

Buprenorphine, Drug Trafficking, Fentanyl, Frontline Workers, Law Enforcement, Lost Loved Ones, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Nalaxone, Naltrexone, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, USA

NBC 7 undertook an in-depth investigation to move beyond the headlines and statistics, aiming to uncover how the fentanyl crisis emerged in San Diego County, the impact it continues to have on local communities, and the critical work still needed to address what has been labeled an epidemic.

Addiction, Documentaries

Injecting Hope: Tackling Drug Overdose With Harm Reduction

Canada, Frontline Workers, Harm Reduction, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Methadone, Nalaxone, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Public Health, Recovery, Stigma, Sublocade

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 to the streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside for an intimate look at the effects of North America’s first sanctioned safe consumption site, established more than two decades ago, on both individuals struggling with addiction and the broader community.

Addiction, Documentaries

Addiction: The Science Behind (NOVA PBS)

Buprenorphine, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Nalaxone, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Prevention & Treatment, Recovery, Science & Research, Suboxone

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.

Addiction, Documentaries

Contaminated: The Fentanyl Crisis in St. Louis

Buprenorphine, Fentanyl, Harm Reduction, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Methadone, Nalaxone, Naltrexone, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Public Health, USA

Fentanyl has become the leading drug fueling the overdose epidemic in St. Louis. Odorless and tasteless, even a small amount can be fatal, and it has permeated every aspect of society — from the cities to the suburbs, affecting people across all demographics, regardless of wealth, race, or background. Many individuals who fall victim to its grip are unaware they’re even consuming it, contributing to a rapid escalation of addiction in the region. Today, fentanyl is involved in over 70% of overdose deaths in St. Louis. After months of investigation, this story is told through the voices of recovering addicts, advocates for change, and those left to cope with the aftermath.

News / TV Specials, Addiction

KELOLAND News Special Report: Opioid Crisis

Fentanyl, Heroin, Lost Loved Ones, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Nalaxone, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Prevention & Treatment, Recovery, USA, Youth

This news report will share stories of individuals overwhelmed by addiction, shedding light on the deep grief families are enduring. It will also examine local efforts by doctors and law enforcement to address the opioid crisis, as well as the resources available at both the local and national levels. Viewers will learn about the support systems in place, how they can contribute to the fight, and the critical needs of the community in tackling this ongoing crisis.

Addiction, Documentaries

The Fix: Examining Rhode Island’s Opioid Epidemic

Fentanyl, Frontline Workers, Harm Reduction, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Prevention & Treatment, Recovery, USA

This documentary covers the opioid epidemic in Rhode Island specifically, but the messages within it are important for all communities. While there are some personal stories from people who use drugs, the main focus is on listening to the opinions of frontline workers who see the societal impacts of addiction on a day to day basis. It discusses the realities of the opioid crisis and what is truly needed to help people in their journey towards recovery. Rhode Island has made some important changes over the years and its uplifting to hear about how they have led to a reduction in drug use related harms.

News / TV Specials, Addiction

The Fentanyl Crisis: Stories of Heartbreak and Hope

Fentanyl, Harm Reduction, Lost Loved Ones, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Recovery, USA

Fentanyl remains a leading cause of overdose deaths in Virginia. According to the Virginia Department of Health, the synthetic opioid was responsible for 76.5% of the 2,656 overdose fatalities in 2021. The community of those who have lost loved ones to fentanyl continues to expand, with many grieving families seeking to raise awareness about a crisis they feel is not receiving the attention it urgently deserves.

Addiction, Documentaries

Bryan’s HOPE: The Heroin Epidemic – Prevention & Education

Heroin, Lost Loved Ones, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Methadone, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Suboxone, USA

You’ll hear from Bryan's mother as well as other parents and family members who have lost loved ones to heroin and other opioids. You’ll also listen to the stories of recovering addicts who have made it out of addiction, and professionals who work in this field. Everyone has something unique to offer, their own personal insight into the opioid crisis, the addictive strength of prescription medications, and the easy move from pills to heroin.

Addiction, Documentaries

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

Fentanyl, Harm Reduction, Heroin, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Methadone, Morphine, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Oxycodone, Pharmaceuticals, Public Health, USA

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]