Prescription Thugs

Prescription Thugs is a compelling 2015 documentary film directed by Chris Bell, which takes on the contentious subject of prescription drug abuse in the United States. The documentary follows the personal journey of Bell, a former competitive powerlifter and bodybuilder, as he tries to make sense of his brother Mike's addiction to prescription drugs. The movie features interviews with a range of individuals, from doctors, former drug addicts, and reform advocates, to pharmaceutical sales executives and family members of victims.

The documentary opens up with Bell narrating the story of his brother Mike, who has been taking prescription painkillers for decades to deal with his ever-pervading pain. After being prescribed OxyContin and receiving no help from his doctors beyond a simple DEA warning letter, Mike was forced to take matters into his own hands and start buying drugs illegally. The director then explores the ways in which the pharmaceutical industry has aggressively marketed their highly addictive drugs despite knowing that the drugs have a high potential for abuse and addiction.

Throughout the movie, Bell highlights several aspects of the prescription drug epidemic in America that are often overlooked. Firstly, he analyzes the economic motivations of pharmaceutical companies, which create a financial incentive for doctors to prescribe more drugs. Second, he emphasizes the impact of cultural expectations and perceptions that people who take prescription drugs for pain are often seen as weak or needing to "just toughen up."

The documentary also takes a deep dive into the personal agony of addiction, the shame, the guilt, and the despair that many prescription drug addicts experience when they realize they are addicted. Bell skillfully blends the personal with the political and asks the hard questions about why the system is so broken and what needs to be done to fix it.

One of the most profound interviews comes from former drug dealer and addict, who explains how the system itself has allowed drug use to flourish. He explains in detail how easy it is to obtain prescription pills, and how law enforcement agencies are ill-equipped to deal with the vast quantities of drugs being sold on street corners. Another poignant scene shows how family members of addicts deal with addiction’s secondary effects: the physical and emotional tolls that it takes on their loved ones.

Prescription Thugs wraps up with the director sharing his own journey of healing from the pain of losing his brother, and the need to begin an open conversation about the prescription drug epidemic that is afflicting millions. The documentary ends with a plea for greater public awareness and creating a robust system that takes into account the psychological and emotional needs of addicts, underscored by the idea that drugs must be reserved for those who genuinely need them and not just anyone who can afford to buy them.

All in all, Prescription Thugs is a powerful, hard-hitting documentary that makes viewers confront some of the hidden costs of America's opioid crisis. Bell's film weaves in the science behind the epidemic and explores different sides, shedding light on who is suffering and what can be done to counteract it. This film should be required viewing for anyone concerned about the state of public health in America.