Opioids are a group of chemicals that include natural opiates derived from the poppy (morphine and codeine) and synthetic opioids made in labs, such as oxycodone and fentanyl. By 2010, enough opioids were prescribed in America to medicate every man, woman and child around the clock for a full month every year.
Opioid addiction has increased at alarming rates for both men and women in the United States. Opioids include both illicit drugs, such as heroin and street fentanyl, and prescription medications such as oxycodone, codeine and morphine.
In the throes of addiction, people may engage in illegal acts that result in incarceration. At least a quarter of people in US prisons and jails have an addiction to opioids, compared to 1% in the general US population.
Naloxone (often known by the brand name, Narcan) is a safe, easy-to-use and effective way to reverse an opioid overdose. Though traditionally administered by emergency response personnel, naloxone can be administered by minimally trained laypeople.
Our fall newsletter featured democracy in a lead role; the 2020 Sentinel Awards gone virtual; Mandy Moore of NBC’s “This Is Us” talking about her character’s “terrifying journey” dealing with Alzheimer’s; how Black women had Georgia on their minds; and Serena Williams investing in moms and babies.
The summer newsletter looks at how to shoot a bedroom scene in a pandemic; our popular series of webinar talks on topics related to COVID-19 wraps up; LeBron James flexes some voting muscle; the lesson of Chernobyl; the latest on the 2020 Sentinel Awards
Hollywood, Health & Society (HH&S), in partnership with the Writers Guild of America, presented a timely series of online conversations on topics related to the pandemic, bringing together storytellers and experts. The popular series of evening webinars, held every Tuesday, covered topics in the age of COVID-19 such as addiction, Black maternal health, criminal justice, older adults and caregiving, mental health, reproductive rights, and lupus and hydroxychloroquine.
The latest newsletter showcases our work—with panel discussions on racism and childbirth, addiction and mental illness; a briefing with Mindy Kaling's creative team for a new Netflix show; interviews about reproductive rights and nuclear risk; "Better With Age" at the ATX Television Festival, and so much more!
Screenwriter John August ("Aladdin") moderated a panel discussion on how Hollywood can help change the narrative about drug addiction and mental health. At one point, he asked the speakers on stage to recount something they had seen in a film or on TV that they didn’t want to see anymore.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for a fundamental change in fighting America’s opioid epidemic, saying that those struggling with addiction have a chronic illness and need treatment, along with counseling, compassion and support.