Hickory – Safe Harbor Rescue Mission will hold a special screening of “Out of Reach,” a short documentary about medicine abuse created by a teen filmmaker, at 7pm, September 25 at Carolina Theater, 222 1st Avenue, NW, Hickory, NC .
Dallas native and high school student Cyrus Stowe was selected by entertainment company Genart and Partnership for Drug-Free Kids to turn his entry into a short documentary with the help of director Tucker Capps (of A&E’s “Intervention”). The short documentary, entitled “Out of Reach,” captures the issue of teen prescription drug abuse as it exists in Cyrus’ world, and is a reflection of the issue of teen medicine abuse across the country.
“My goal was to raise awareness about just how many teens are abusing medicine. Until I started talking to my friends and making this film, I didn’t know the true scope of the problem, so I can’t imagine many parents understand either,” said Stowe. “I also have a personal connection to the issue, and making this film was truly a life-changing journey. I made self-discoveries during this process and am hopeful that it will help others open their eyes to medicine abuse in the way it has for me.”
Nearly 2 million Americans are abusing prescription opioids, and 16,000 people die every year from prescription opioid overdoses, according to a Castlight Health report from 2016. The worst city in the U.S. for opioid abuse, according to the report, was Wilmington. Hickory was the fifth, followed by Jacksonville at 12th and Fayetteville at 18th.
“This film is a teen’s wake-up-call to parents. Seeing how rampant prescription drug abuse is in a typical American high school will help put this dangerous behavior on parents’ radar and motivate them to take action,” said Debbie Haynes, Program and Founding Director. “We are proud to partner with Partnership for Drug-Free Kids to shed light on this epidemic and motivate families and communities to take action.”
To RSVP for the event go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/out-of-reach-tickets-37386036642 or call Safe Harbor’s office at 828-326-7233.
About Safe Harbor Rescue Mission: Safe Harbor is a non-profit ministry that is devoted to providing a Christ-centered community where women can work to rebuild their lives through immediate and long-term programming. Safe Harbor understands the challenges of homelessness, abuse, addiction, and emotional struggle. They strive to meet women right where they are and assist them in setting and achieving their goals
About Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is dedicated to reduce teen substance abuse and help families impacted by addiction. We develop public education campaigns that drive awareness of teen substance abuse, and lead teen-targeted efforts that inspire young people to make positive decisions to stay healthy and avoid drugs and alcohol. On our website, drugfree.org, and through our toll-free helpline (1-855-DRUGFREE), we provide families with direct support and guidance to help them address teen substance abuse. Finally, we build healthy communities, advocating for great access to adolescent treatment and funding for youth prevention programs. A national nonprofit, we depend on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and are thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.
