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FBI, DEA Youth
Raising
Awareness of Opioid Addiction
02/04/16
Every day, the nation’s law enforcement agencies at the local, state,
and federal levels—including the FBI and the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA)—use investigative resources to target the supply
side in the war against drugs.
But even with numerous law enforcement successes in this area, the
demand for drugs continues. And one of the more worrisome trends is a
growing epidemic of prescription opiate and heroin abuse, especially
among young people.
Today, in an effort to help educate students and young adults about the
dangers of opioid addiction, the FBI and DEA unveiled a documentary
called Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict at the Newseum
in Washington, D.C., before an audience of educational leaders from the
region. The 45-minute film, whose title refers to the never-ending
pursuit of the original or ultimate high, features stark first-person
accounts told by individuals who have abused opioids or whose children
have abused opioids, with tragic consequences.
“This film may be difficult to watch,” explains FBI Director James
Comey, “but we hope it educates our students and young adults about the
tragic consequences that come with abusing these drugs and that it will
cause people to think twice before becoming its next victim.”
And according to Acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg, “The numbers
are appalling—tens of thousands of Americans will die this year from
drug-related deaths, and more than half of these deaths are from heroin
and prescription opioid overdoses. I hope this [documentary] will be a
wakeup call for folks.”
The individuals featured in the film—a few of whom are highlighted
below—chose to tell their stories to help stop others from going down
the same destructive path.
Katrina, a former business executive and mother who became addicted to
opiates after self-medicating with pain pills and alcohol and whose own
daughter died of a drug overdose. “You can’t go back and say, ‘I’m
sorry,’ or set a better example, or talk ‘em out of it,” she says. And
of her own addiction, she explains, “The spiral down is so fast...and I
lost everything. I lost my daughter first and foremost. So all the work
I did, all those dreams I had, it’s like I’m starting over again with a
huge weight on my shoulder...all for a pill.”
Matt, who began using marijuana at age 11 and became addicted to
opiates at age 15. “In the beginning,” he explains, “I would always try
to get pills because you know what you’re getting. Eventually, that
just got too expensive....so then you’d go for heroin because it’s
cheaper.”
Trish, whose daughter Cierra—an honor roll student at her high
school—died after a heroin overdose. “Cierra did not take life for
granted until she started using,” says her mother. “It is much stronger
than you, and it will win.” Noting the broader impact of addiction,
Trish adds, “It affects everyone in your family for the rest of their
life...we’re the ones stuck missing you.”
Chasing the Dragon also features interviews with medical and law
enforcement professionals discussing a variety of issues, including how
quickly addiction can set in, how the increasing costs of prescription
opioids can lead to the use of heroin as a less expensive alternative,
the horrors of withdrawal, the ties between addiction and crime, and
the fact that, contrary to popular belief, opiate abuse is prevalent in
all segments of society.
The documentary is available on this website for viewing or
downloading. Copies can also be obtained by contacting your local FBI
or DEA field office.
See the video here
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