This week, a video campaign showing stories of heroin addiction was unveiled by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, according to WKYT. The initial campaign includes four videos providing unique, personal perspectives on how heroin and opioid addiction affects lives. These stories of substance use, dependency, and recovery have the chance of speaking to those who don’t know the risks of the heroin epidemic or haven’t yet faced up to an active addiction.
According to the reporting by WKYT, the US Attorney’s Office hopes the initiative will succeed in educating those in Eastern Kentucky about the scope of the opioid and heroin crisis. The videos are being distributed to thousands in the eastern portion of the state, with the hope that they will receive wide exposure in schools and local communities.
The videos showcase different perspectives from real people who have had life-altering experiences with heroin use. One of the videos, titled, “Heroin is Hell,” shows the story Blake Gumm, whose prospects for a professional football career were closed off after an arrest related to heroin use. In his story, he offers profound testimony on the potential consequences of heroin addiction and how a relapse can turn your life upside down. The video also shows another man who avoided jail time and made the decision to seek treatment, showing what’s possible with hope and the desire for change.
Some of the videos in the initiative focus on particular issues or perspectives. The video “Heroin Hurts” looks at a tragic and uncomfortable subject: heroin overdose deaths. These stories are devastating, but facing the reality of drug addiction might help others change before it’s too late. The video “Heroin is Here” looks at the heroin epidemic from the perspective of officials in the legal and law enforcement fields, taking a broader factual view. Finally, “Heroin’s Hold” is a long-form video that incorporates the interviewees from all three short videos, going deeper into how the heroin and opioid epidemic is affecting Eastern Kentucky.
After you watch these videos, we’d love to get your take. Did you learn something about heroin or addiction that you didn’t know before? Do you think this campaign will help others to seek treatment for addiction? Get involved in the conversation on our Facebook page! This is a subject that affects all of us.
Top image by Eric Molina is licensed under CC BY 2.0
