Documentary about opioid addiction crisis to be screened in Greensburg

A documentary film about the drug addiction crisis being screened Friday in Greensburg is relevant to the entire community, said Richard Jones, executive director of Sage’s Army.

It’s “very short-sighted” to think addiction doesn’t affect Westmoreland County as a whole, he said.

“The truth is this applies to all of us,” Jones said. “If we don’t have a healthy community, then all of us suffer.”

The free screening of “Tipping the Pain Scale” will start at 6 p.m. at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center. A panel discussion will follow with several experts including Jones and Tim Phillips, director of the Westmoreland Drug Overdose Task Force.

The documentary follows high-profile people who battle substance abuse disorder and discusses their challenges as well as how the country can move past the crisis.

Between 2006 and 2012, 124 million prescription opioids were shipped to 73 pharmacies in Westmoreland County at a time when such prescribing practices were on the rise nationwide. Drug shipment data from the Drug Enforcement Administration was released in 2019 as part of a civil case.

In 2010, drug overdose deaths started to shift from prescription opioids to heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A third wave of fatal overdoses fueled by fentanyl, a powerful opioid being mixed with other drugs including heroin and cocaine, continues to the present.

From 2011 to 2018, Westmoreland County had 930 fatal drug overdoses, according to coroner statistics. After hitting a high point in 2017 with 193, drug overdose deaths have tapered off with 115 in 2019 and 123 in 2020.

The numbers appear to be set for another increase in 2021. As of Oct. 1, the coroner reported 97 drug overdose deaths and an additional 23 deaths being investigated as such. Final statistics for 2021 are not yet available.

Jones hopes the film will raise awareness about ongoing issues with overdoses and drug use, as well as fight the stigma surrounding addiction. He said addiction-related fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues as more families are calling Sage’s Army, a recovery community organization that focuses on advocacy and awareness, for help than ever before.

Resources for help will be available at the screening. Donations to Sage’s Army will be accepted at the screening or online at sagesarmy.com/donate. The film has been shown recently across the country including in South Carolina, Virginia and Allentown, Pa.