Opioid Crisis

The FBI and DEA released this documentary in an effort to combat the growing epidemic of prescription opiate and heroin abuse with the hope that it will help educate students and young adults about the dangers of addiction. You’ll hear in-depth stories from several people, some who are in recovery from an opioid addiction and others who have lost a loved one to it. This documentary focuses heavily on the harsh realities behind not only addiction itself, but specifically with the transition from prescription medications to heroin.

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.

News / TV Specials, Addiction

Inside Canada’s Fentanyl Overdose Epidemic

Canada, Evidence-Based, Fentanyl, Harm Reduction, Lost Loved Ones, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Prevention & Treatment, Public Health

SBS Dateline (Australia) wants to know what they can learn from the Canadian opioid crisis and the fatality of fentanyl, and use it as a warning for Australians. This news investigation discusses (1) why fentanyl kills so many young Canadians, (2) how it first came to Canada, (3) the importance of harm reduction services like supervised consumption sites, and (4) programs and support services in place to help people in several different ways.

Addiction, Documentaries

Painkiller: Inside the Opioid Crisis in Canada

Canada, Decriminalization, Harm Reduction, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Stigma

Nominated for Canadian Screen Award, this documentary covers the opioid crisis in Canada. “It features interviews with families who have lost loved ones, as well as healthcare workers and policy experts who question a health system that favors corporate profits over patients.” For example, they talk about the overprescribing of prescription medications, and how little to no punishments have been handed out. This documentary also advocates for harm reduction as a crucial way to combat this crisis.

News / TV Specials, Addiction

State of Addiction: What Families Need to Know About Opioids

Fentanyl, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, USA, Youth

This news special by NBC 6 South Florida discusses the opioid crisis with several individuals, including Mark Wahlberg’s brother Jim Wahlberg. You’ll be introduced to a brief history of opium and quickly realize that this addiction crisis began with easily accessible prescription medications. Drugs are now cut with fentanyl, which is extremely dangerous and lethal. People are losing their lives and law enforcement can’t seem to keep up with the massive influx of drugs coming into the country. You’ll also learn some strategies for talking to children about drugs, which is crucial to do given the sheer impact that opioids are having on youth.

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

HookedRx: From Prescription to Addiction in Arizona

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

This documentary covers the opioid crisis in Arizona. You’ll hear from frontline workers, policymakers, and counsellors, as well as parents who have lost a child and those who made it to recovery. This video focuses on the route that people take to becoming addicted, starting from being prescribed a prescription medication to suffering from a full-blown addiction. It also discusses the ease at which people are able to obtain the pills, as well as some stories about medical professionals who abused their prescribing powers.

Addiction, Documentaries

Hope After Heroin: The Epidemic in Our Backyard

Heroin, Lost Loved Ones, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Personal Stories, Stigma, USA

This WQED documentary delves into the opioid crisis and the widespread impact of heroin use in Western Pennsylvania. Individuals who have faced addiction—either personally or through someone they love—open up about their experiences of hardship, stigma, and loss. Yet, through their stories, they also reveal how their pain became a driving force for change, offering hope and inspiration to others.

Addiction, Documentaries

Kids Are Dying: Addiction in Youth

Heroin, Lost Loved Ones, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, USA, Youth

This documentary is a must-see for anyone wanting to learn more about addiction and youth drug use and how the overdose epidemic / opioid crisis is affecting children and young adults. You can also watch Michael’s second documentary – An American Epidemic – where he details how this problem is not only happening locally in Camden, but also nationally.

Addiction, Documentaries

The Opioid Crisis: An American Epidemic

Celebrities, Lost Loved Ones, Non-Profits, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Overdose, Personal Stories, Pharmaceuticals, Recovery, USA, Youth

After making his first documentary – Kids are Dying – Michael DeLeon, who runs Steered Straight, travelled throughout the U.S. to nearly 40 states to talk to people about the opioid crisis. He speaks with parents who have lost a child, professionals in the field, addicts in recovery, as well as celebrities to create this eye-opening film. It seems that everyone shares one common belief: the opioid crisis is an epidemic that has gone on for far too long.