2016 was a deadly year for Vancouver. With the introduction of the synthetic opiate fentanyl to the streets, Morgues were practically overflowing with overdose victims. In the months after this escalation of the opioid crisis, The Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) was formed. Its foundational members were current and former drug users who all felt the safety of their communities were affected more by a lack of safe drugs and safe injection sites than the drugs or addicts themselves.
It seems they were right, as several years later OPS is going strong, opening new locations despite the ‘outlaw’ nature of their safe injection sites. The folks at OPS are civilian volunteers given extensive opioid first-aid training, including how and when to use medicine such as Narcan and supplemental oxygen. With little government assistance and no payroll, OPS offers a safe space for addicts at all stages of their journey. Some are recent users combatting hard times while others are long-time users taking maintenance doses as they quit the drug.
This is not a film for trypanophobes (fear of needles), as needles and injections frequently feature in many moments as people prepare and use opioids at OPS facilities. Love in the Time of Fentanyl is typical in its documentary stylings, usually varying between fly-on-the-wall documentation and interviews, but there are some artful moments. The educational documentary’s true strength is its compassionate and honest depictions of addicts and addiction. This makes Love in the Time of Fentanyl a must-see for medical and law students.
If there’s one lesson that should be learned from this documentary, it's the varied issues that drive people to use strong opiates in the first place. Occasional stings of spaghetti-wester-style music make the vigilante nature of OPS concrete. Beyond the safe injection sites, OPS offers clean needles, First-Aid, and drug purity testing, giving viewers a glimpse of a future where addiction is treated with dignity instead of simple criminalization. Highly Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
Love in the Time of Fentanyl belongs on drug and addiction documentary shelves.
What type of film series could use this title?
Film series focused on Canadian documentaries, drug abuse, alternative methods of treating addiction, and community activism could all use Love in the Time of Fentanyl.
What is the retail price and/or Public Performance License fee?
$375 University DVD, $495 DSL