Opioid Crisis

Addiction, Documentaries

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

Belgium, Cocaine, Colombia, Crime, Drug Trafficking, Fentanyl, Homelessness, 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 Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, international aid has been withdrawn, and public services are on the brink of collapse.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

Youth Overdose & Opioid Addiction – Overtaken (2012)

Lost Loved Ones, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, USA, Youth

Created by two mothers, this documentary from early 2012 covers the opioid prescription drug crisis in Orange County, California from the perspective of parents who have lost a child and youth who are now in recovery.

Addiction, Documentaries

Abuse of Prescription Drugs: Not What the Doctor Ordered (2009)

Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Public Health, USA, Youth

Prescription drug abuse is rapidly becoming a nationwide crisis. These medications are easily accessible and simple to distribute, and Tennessee has been tackling this problem for years. The state once held the unfortunate title of having the highest rate of prescription drug abuse in the country. That trend is changing, thanks to dedicated efforts and strong collaboration. In this one-hour MCTFT broadcast from 2009, people from Tennessee share their firsthand experiences with prescription drugs. Discover how this community identified the issue and took action. You'll hear insights from coalition leaders, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, pharmacists, insurance representatives, and more.

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

Prescription for Abuse (2012) Opioid Crisis Documentary

Lost Loved Ones, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Public Health, USA, Youth

This 2012 documentary is narrated by Rosemary Orr, a doctor at the Seattle Children’s Hospital who lost her son to an opioid overdose. KCTS 9 interviewed her about her son’s death and then later asked if she would participate in…

News / TV Specials, Addiction

Oxycontin Controversy: Dying By Prescription

Canada, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Oxycodone, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals

This 2012 special report from Global News investigates "Canada's biggest pharmaceutical coverup" - the overprescribing of medications containing Oxycodone (e.g., Percocet, Oxycontin, Hydromorphone). Trusting their doctors, many Canadians were given these drugs as an alternative to morphine to help with pain management and were told that it is "far less addictive". However, addiction soon set in and their tolerance began to increase, leading them to need more to have the same effect.

Addiction, Documentaries

7 Days: The Opioid Crisis in Arkansas

Fentanyl, Frontline Workers, Heroin, Lost Loved Ones, Nalaxone, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Recovery, USA, Youth

Listen to the stories of people who have struggled with addiction, and discover the ongoing efforts across the state of Arkansas to address the challenges of opioid misuse and addiction. Their stories are raw, real, and deeply human—marked by loss,…

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.