Film raises awareness of prescription drug abuse in Utah

[stefan]

Film raises awareness of prescription drug abuse in Utah
March 17th, 2008 @ 3:38pm
Randall Jeppesen reporting (KSL)

A Utah filmmaker is about to release a movie aimed at showing Utahns how bad prescription drug abuse has become in the state.

Ron Williams decided to make "Happy Valley" after trying to reunite his daughter with her addicted mother. He says it was an eye-opening experience that needs to be discussed in every home.

"There are some people who think that if it's doctor prescribed, that it's safe, and they have no idea that they're playing with fire," Williams said.

He calls the movie not a documentary, but a real-life, true story. "And the reality is we have a serious problem with painkiller addition, drug addiction, here in Utah," Williams said.

The movie will open in theaters around Utah on March 28, with proceeds helping people get through rehab. For more information, click the related link.

LINK TO FILM WEBSITE:
http://happyvalleythemovie.com/

http://happyvalleythemovie.com/Trailer.html

[denaliguide]

in theatres? :ne_nau: i think i'll go see horton hears a who.

[stefan]

in theatres?

yes march 26 ... curious where. only along wasatch front? can't find a listing.

[Jaxx]

I can't get the crappy trailer to load.

[Jaxx]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MUi-KUnsALc

[Scott Card]

I haven't looked at the trailer but I will vouch for the fact that prescription drug abuse is a serious problem. I think the DUIs that come into my office are about evenly split between alcohol and prescription drugs. It used to be that my DUI cases were about 95% alcohol and 5 % prescription drug. I've actually seen a slight decrease recently in prescription drug DUI's at least coming into my office. Too many people are hitting the pill bottle to deal with stress and pain. We need to do a better job of promoting exercise and perhaps lowering expectations or at least making the American Dream reasonable. This idea of having everything now, bigger and better than the last generation is not healthy. Perhaps the family ought to be the focus rather than the individual? Perhaps a little less comparing with the Jones'? Life is too short to get so stressed about. Hmmmmmm.... Oh ya, And as my wise mother said quite often, "Scott, deal with it." So far so good.

[Brewhaha]

Prescription drug abuse is so very pernicious because it often starts with legitimate needs. After the individual becomes addicted it is then quite difficult to disentangle the valid need for the drug with the addictive need for the drug. If there is a hell on earth, this kind of addiction sure seems like a good candidate.

[Deathcricket]

I saw this first hand with my late grandmother. She got on pain pills when she hurt her back, then 6 months later was making up excuses to stay on them. Was really heartbreaking. Being 94, they decided it was too tramatic to wean her off them even. Friggin pill pushers.....