Embedded Files
The United States continues to face the long aftermath of its opium-shaped past, as addiction, racial disparities in treatment, and pharmaceutical exploitation echo earlier patterns of pain and neglect. Modern opioid crises—fueled by industry, policy failures, and unequal medical care—show that the struggle over this drug remains a battle over whose pain is recognized and whose lives are protected.
An Overview
An Overview
The modern-day “Opium War” is a global struggle over growing, selling, and controlling opium. It isn’t fought with armies, but through the actions of powerful criminal networks, changing production areas, and law enforcement efforts. Afghanistan, once the top opium producer, has cut back under Taliban restrictions, while Myanmar and other countries have increased production. At the same time, synthetic drugs are becoming more common. This fight affects communities everywhere, causing addiction, violence, and economic problems, showing how deeply opium trade impacts both people and countries around the world.
Focuses on surveillance, data collection (via programs like Overdose Data to Action), public awareness campaigns, and guidelines for prescribing opioids
A public health organization that uses its expertise from anti-tobacco campaigns to run youth and young adult prevention and education programs, such as "The Truth About Opioids"
A national advocacy group that promotes health and dignity for people who use drugs, supporting measures like syringe service programs and naloxone access
Individuals Advocating for Opium Misuse
Individuals Advocating for Opium Misuse
Dr. Nora Volkow
Dr. Nora Volkow
As the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Dr. Volkow has led groundbreaking research on addiction and its effects on the brain. She raises public awaremess about opoid risks and guides policy decsions to improve prevention and treatment programs.
Dr. Vivek Murthy
Dr. Vivek Murthy
The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy has called the opioid crisis a public health emergency. He promotes education about addiction, expands access to treatment, and encourages communities to address stigma around substance use.
Patrick J. Kennedy
Patrick J. Kennedy
Former U.S. Congressman and co-founder of the Kennedy Forum, Kennedy advocates for mental health and addiction reform. He works to improve treatment access, reduce stigma, and influence national policy on substance use and recovery programs.
Modern Media on Opium
Modern Media on Opium
Art can be a powerful tool for recovery, giving people a way to express trauma, process emotions, and reconnect with themselves. Many veterans use visual art, poetry, or songwriting to cope with addiction and mental health struggles, turning creativity into a path toward healing.
In Forrest Gump, Jenny's addiction and lifestyle are associated with risky behaviors, recreational drug use and promiscuity, that lead her to contract a serious, incurable virus. Though the film never names the illness explicitly, many viewers interpret it as HIV/AIDS (given the historical context), making her story a tragic illustration of how substance abuse can have devastating physical and emotional consequences. Through Jenny's decline, the film suggests why the creative outlets of art, music, and self-expression might matter as refuges from trauma and addiction.
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