A new Netflix documentary called "Heroin(e)" follows three women — a fire chief, a judge and a street missionary — who are working to address the opioid crisis ravaging Huntington, W.Va.
Here are three things to know about "Heroin(e)" and the opioid epidemic in Huntington.
1. A 2016 STAT article described Huntington as the "front lines" of the opioid epidemic, highlighting 26 overdoses that occurred among residents over the span of several hours.
2. West Virginia native Elaine McMillon Sheldon directed the film. She won a Peabody award in 2013 for her film "Hollow," which examined the future of rural America from the perspective of West Virginians in McDowell County, according to an article published in 100 Days in Appalachia.
3. In the article, Ms. Sheldon described filming a scene from "Heroin(e)" in which firemen responded to an overdose emergency call at a Sheetz convenience store.
"I just had to think very quickly about what's the wide shot that shows this broader view, because people didn't stop their daily life," said Ms. Sheldon. "Overdoses in public spaces have become so normal that it didn't stop their daily routine of checking out and buying their Pepsi at the Sheetz."
To watch a trailer for the documentary, click here.
More articles on opioids:
IHI to develop intervention tool for safer opioid prescribing
Tacoma, Wash., files suit against 3 drugmakers for alleged role in opioid epidemic
Study: Opioid use linked to 20% of overall decline in male labor force