Warning: This Drug May Kill You

This documentary is a cautionary tale about opioid addiction that packs a real punch. This isn't just another story about drug addition, it's a look into the lives of people who unwittingly became addicts due to medication they were legally prescribed. It's very powerful, very upsetting, and does a great job of shining a light on this problem. It's well worth an hour of your time.

Provocative, unflinching and at time utterly heartbreaking, Warning This Drug May Kill You takes us deep inside the lives of four American families shattered by the prescription opioid epidemic, the worst drug crisis this nation has ever seen. It is an hour long indictment, expertly delivered, of a culture and system that sold us on dangerous medications, got us hooked and then tried to dodge responsibility. We're still trying to dodge it, pretending that our drug problem is imported, and that a wall can stop it, when indeed the fault lies in ourselves. This is a challenging and important film. It should be made required viewing for our state an federal lawmakers.

This HBO documentary is an OK introduction to opioid addiction as it exists in 2017. It's only an hour long and features a handful of families sharing their stories of addiction. In each case, the opioid addiction started with individuals being prescribed opioids for pain relief, but without needed education, support, and oversight. Individuals were prescribed high doses of multiple medications for too long, and they became addicted and then progressed to heroin when the prescriptions are cut off by the doctor and the (now) addicted person learned that heroin is cheaper than buying pills on the street.

I hear this story all the time in my work with people with substance use disorders. It's like a bad dream that recurs over and over again. But it's real, and I'm only seeing a drop in a larger ocean of pain.

I do wish HBO had gone ahead and made a 2-hour film (at least) with more in-depth information, including how the drug works in the brain/body of the addicted person, why one person becomes addicted and another doesn't, what kinds of treatment are most effective in supporting long-term recovery, the ways for families and other loved ones to support people in addiction and recovery, and the kinds of policies and programs needed to reduce the incidence of addiction and to help those who are addicted, etc. (I know HBO touched more on these matters in their 2007 Addiction movie, but that was 10 years ago.) It seems unfortunate to me that the movie introduced the problem with so little to say about what can be done to address it. Especially at a time when the current Republican government seems hell-bent on cutting insurance coverage for addiction treatment!

In a nutshell, this isn't a bad place to start if you've heard about the so-called opioid epidemic but don't know anyone affected and feel that the problem is someone else's and could never happen to you or your loved ones. But, it leaves a ton of questions unasked and mostly unanswered.

As one who recently had spinal surgery and was offered pain killer (30 day supply!) upon discharge from the hospital and given no warnings about possible consequences, I was shocked to learn in the film how legally and professionally dispensed medicine can become addictive in a matter of just a few weeks, sometimes in a matter of days.

The film should be seen by everyone or otherwise more people will stumble into the unknown darkness of addiction which has devastating consequences for the individual involved, of course, but also for the immediate family as well.

This is a spiral of disaster and it is amazing that it can all happen so quickly.

I loved this film- although the material is incredibly heavy, it presents the footage in an incredibly graceful and interesting way. The film essentially uncovers a hidden problem that exists in the USA. Moreover, the film is all about the victims of the opioid epidemic as opposed to focusing on experts which really provides the viewer with a candid understanding of what is happening around us. It is a must watch!!! Bravo to the filmmakers-