FAIRMONT, WEST VIRGINIA – On Thursday, April 7, 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office will join the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration to host a dynamic community forum designed to highlight a unique, realistic perspective on the impact of prescription drug and opioid abuse.
The event will feature a screening of “Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict,” a documentary film collaboratively produced by the FBI and the DEA in response to increasing prescription painkiller and opioid drug abuse in West Virginia and across the nation. The film, which is designed to better educate students and young adults about the dangers of these drugs and the tragic consequences that often accompany addiction, debuted nationally in February 2016. Students from the Fairmont State University Criminal Justice Program will attend the forum to supplement their current curriculum. The public is also invited to attend.
“It is the FBI's hope this film will start a conversation about the stark reality of drug abuse in this country and the unadulterated impact it has on our friends, families and communities,” noted Stephen L. Morris, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
The movie screening will begin at 6:00PM on April 7 in the Colebank Hall Gymnasium at Fairmont State University. The documentary will be followed by an interactive discussion with representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Individuals and community groups interested in obtaining additional information are encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation by calling (304) 625-5833 or emailing holly.henry@ic.fbi.gov.