Educational Media Reviews Online

“Irresistible.” This one word heard at the opening of Heroin Rising, sets the stage for this first-rate program on heroin use and addiction among teens and young adults. Featured in the film is an expert in drug abuse, health care providers, and most importantly recovering addicts. A brief background on heroin as a drug of choice is followed by the ease with which teens are finding their way to heroin through prescription drug abuse. The reputation and stigma associated with heroin as a “dirty” street drug can be quickly bypassed by using prescription pain killers—which in some cases are merely heroin in a more acceptable pill form.

Valuable testimony from former heroin addicts is a highlight of the film. Hearing their experiences, particularly the agony of coming down from a high and the self-degrading behavior necessary to feed their addiction, is downright palpable. The science of how heroin works in the body is explained using clear, concise animation. The after effects of heroin use and how it affects the users family and friends is also covered, as well as personal stories of overdosing and the harrowing guilt and other psychological issues that stick around for years if not a lifetime. The irresistibility of the drug is further enforced by the cautionary message from a former user, “You’re playing with life and death when you pick up the first one.” The film ends on a positive note, as suggestions for users to get clean (or not even start) are touched on throughout the program and come to a gentle yet firm conclusion.

The technical aspects of the film are of high-quality, and this Human Relations Media production is a little more polished than some with effective music and editing techniques. Highly recommended for high school media center collections, as well as academic library collections in education, counseling, and health sciences.