Heroin: The Road of Addiction

Yes, it's another anti-drug video, but this one is conceived, directed, and produced by teens, and if the viewer can get over the rather amateurish production values and stilted performances from the non-actor hosts, Heroin: The Road of Addiction is a no-cheese, no-bull warning about one of the most addictive and lethal street drugs available. Arguing that heroin's road leads to lifelong addiction, prison, or death, the program explores these "paths" in three segments. Prison is seen through the eyes of an inmate who has already spent more than half of his life in lockup. Death is examined as family and friends of an overdose victim directly address the camera, speaking to the deceased. But the most compelling segment is the video diary of a recovering/relapsing user whose struggle with ongoing addiction--even when clean--is truly harrowing. The message is clear: heroin users risk losing every single thing they hold important: family, friends, possessions, dignity, even life. Recommended. Aud: H, P. (E. Gieschen)