Narrated by David Ralphie, filmed by George Doland and Brian Kellman, and co-written and produced by Roy Bishop, “About Addiction” dates to the 1970s. The film was created to educate the youth about proper and improper drug use. It draws a compassion between prescription drugs, alcohol, coffee, over-eating and illicit drug use. The opening scenes show the narrator informing viewers addiction is a dependence on anything taken into the body (:16). Chemicals are introduced into our lives from an early age as a child’s umbilical cord is cut (:41) and silver nitrate is set into the eyes to prevent blindness. Assembly lines pump prescription medications down (1:10). By this time period and through the pharmaceutical industry; an idea was really marketed that a pill could be taken to cure any aliment or issue (1:19). The comparison is drawn between a caffeine addict (2:20) to a heroin abuser. Both are utilizing substances for non-medical use. On a casino floor, adults sip alcoholic beverages (3:01). At an evening party, youth take LSD and smoke weed (3:05). In both scenarios, people are choosing to alter their reality. The film turns to show those in the deep throws of addiction as a man smokes a cigarette and drinks straight from a bottle of alcohol (3:36). Red and difficult to see footage follows of drug users shooting up on the sidewalk (4:18). The phases of addiction are depicted such as behavioral changes, changes in mood and increase in intake of the substance (5:29). A woman prostitutes herself to support her habit (8:55). As both alcohol and heroin are depressants; they will lead to suicidal thoughts. Images of Janis Joplin (6:23) and Jimi Hendrix appear (6:25). Janis passed from a heroin overdose. Hendrix suffocated while under the influence of alcohol. Actual and graphic images follow of corpses dead from narcotic related incidents. At the time of this film’s creation there were about 200 known narcotic related deaths annually in the city of Philadelphia (6:30). Needles are pictured sticking up from the arms of the deceased (6:42) as one can also perish from Hepatitis contracted from sharing dirty needles. Images follow of alcohol related deaths including from liver disease, alcohol poisoning, suicide or auto accidents (6:48). The film turns to amphetamines, methamphetamine, LSD and barbiturates as these can lead to severe mental illness leading to suicide and chromosomal or fetal damage affecting children (7:06). The surgeons general warning on a pack of cigarettes is zoomed in on (7:28). Over eating and food addiction is depicted as those affected by it are facing risk of health problems and early death as well as self esteem issues which affect mental health (7:41). Positive and healthy activities and life events worth participating in are shown to close out the film including youth riding bikes (8:26), a boy on a surf board riding waves (8:38), wedding ceremonies (8:45) and a man and woman enjoying sitting under a tree in a park (9:13).
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