The current documentary “Chasing Heroin” aired by Frontline PBS offers a glimpse on an array of issues aligned with heroin use and misuse. Precisely, the documentary showcases the manner in which heroin addicts struggles with the repercussions of heroin addiction. The documentary is based on confessions from heroin addicts, government officials, family members, and clinicians on pertinent issues regarding heroin addiction. From the documentary, it is evident that the lives of millions of populates are severely impacted by heroin addiction. The severity of heroin addiction is evident in cases where heroin addicts die painful deaths. A man featured in the documentary confides that heroin addiction causes shameful deaths whereby some heroin addicts experience death in toilets. In the quest to offer a substantive view of the impact of heroin addiction, the documentary follows the lives of three people who are well conversant with an array of issues aligned with heroin addiction.
Another lesson drawn from the current documentary is the need to streamline legislations that touch on medications that are critical in solving the menace of heroin addiction. In the documentary a physician named Phil Capp drawn from Swedish Medical Group explores on the manner in which certain medications play a fundamental in managing heroin addiction. Such medication offer a viable platform through which recovering heroin addicts can manage certain symptoms aligned with craving heroin. These medications include suboxone, naltrexone, and methadone. While these medications have proven to be essential in treating heroin addiction, their use is restricted by existing legislations. Deductively, there is a need to repeal legislations that restrict the use of medications that have proven critical in treating heroin addiction. On another note, there is the need for new legislations that would support efforts geared towards fighting heroin addiction.
The third lesson that I have learnt from the documentary about heroin epidemic is that pain killers augment this epidemic. The documentary traces the origin of heroin addiction to the use of opioids in the management of hospice patients. The persistent use of opioids as a pain killer results in addiction. The fact that it is expensive to purchase opioids often prompts people addicted to opioids to use heroin; a street drug, which can be obtained easily. The documentary provides insightful statistics from a 2014 survey, which indicated the close to 945 percent of persons interviewed by the survey confessed that after being treated with opioids, they opted to use heroin due to the expensive nature of the opioids. From the current documentary, there is a chance to salvage concerns emanating from heroin epidemic. This is because there are various efforts developed to support heroin addicts. However, the continued incarceration of heroin addicts may not offer a long-term solution to heroin addiction.
Work Cited
Frontline PBS, Chasing Heroin, 2016. Video.
