Chasing the Dragon, an FBI production, offers a harrowing portrait of the escalating opioid epidemic through candid testimonies from young addicts and their families.
More than 46,000 people die from drug overdoses each year, many of these deaths from opioid misuse. The crisis is especially acute in youthful communities, where drug education and experimentation are lacking, with increasingly devastating and deadly consequences.
The recovering addicts portrayed in the film come from wonderful and loving homes. For many of these heartbreaking subjects, drug use began with marijuana. Her turn to opioids seemed harmless at first; after all, these little pills are usually prescribed by a doctor and kept in the medicine cabinet. But what started as abuse quickly turned into a full-blown addiction they couldn’t shake. To repeat their original orgasm, they were started on stronger opioids intravenously. The addiction quickly became a never-ending cycle that dominated every moment of her life.
The film’s subjects share a variety of horrific experiences. A young woman recalls a drug house she shared with other addicts. When they entered the bathroom and found a body in the tub, they quickly went to another room where they could take their medication. Another addict spoke of the challenges she had in maintaining a habit of taking 40 pills a day. A young mother admits she became addicted when her daughter was just seven months old.
Once the disease is under control, family relationships and future goals take a backseat. Many of them resort to theft, beatings and prostitution to maintain their destructive lifestyles.
The addict portrayed in the film is currently in recovery. Some of them are struggling to regain a stable life with their families. Others spoke from behind bars. Freed from the cloud of self-deception created by addiction, her reflections are painfully candid and illuminating.
Chasing the Dragon is a grueling but vital viewing experience, especially for young adults who struggle with mounting peer pressure every day.
Directed by: Sean Dunne
