For those of you who have a Netflix subscription, The Pharmacist needs to be on your watchlist. As Americans, we are all aware of the growing opioid crisis. The Pharmacist gives viewers a personal insight into how opioid drugs truly infiltrated the US. In this brilliant docuseries Dan Schneider, a pharmacist from a small town outside of New Orleans, tells us about the opioid epidemic through his eyes.
Without spoiling too much, the Schneider family had the perfect life filled with love and good values. People often compared their family to the Griswold family. Dan, the leader of the pack, the father, truly cared about his family more than anything in the world, and you can see this throughout the series. Just when everything seemed to be going well, his eldest son Danny gets killed during a drug deal. Of course, Dan and his wife were completely shocked to find out not only that their son was killed, but that he also used drugs.
Dan, haunted by his son’s death, attempts to find the killer. The man thoroughly investigates all aspects of the killing, while documenting each clue on the way with recorders, photos, videos and more. At the same time, he also works at a local pharmacy. Suddenly customers are coming in with an abundance of prescriptions for the infamous Oxycontin. As Dan still mourns the drug-related death of his son, he is practically forced to give the harmful Oxycontin to customers who clearly are not in pain, rather addicted.
As the docuseries unfolds, the immense corruption within Purdue Pharma (Oxycontin producer) and local doctors gets revealed, and not by the FDA or FBI, but by Dan Schneider. This passionate man never stops documenting and investigating these organizations, in hopes to prevent drug-related deaths and addictions. Throughout the show, Dan reminds the audience that he does all this for his late son Danny.
Netflix picked the right man to explain how opioids can ruin lives. Because Dan documented a plethora of events, his own records create a true-crime documentary. The combination of Dan’s experiences creates a 360-degree view of the opioid epidemic. Dan Schneider was warning people about this catastrophic problem at the forefront.
The Pharmacist excellently displays how Oxycontin paved a path for opioid addiction in America. Before Oxycontin was deemed addictive, doctors were handing it out like candy. During this time period, people became addicted, and fast. Once doctors were aware of the dangerously addictive nature of the drug, they stopped writing prescriptions for people who did not actually have severe pain. Unfortunately, addicts then turned to the streets for opioids. We are still in a period of time where people get opioids from illegal sources. Oxycontin still can be found on the streets, but it is extremely expensive. Now addicts have turned to heroin, which gives users virtually the same feelings for much cheaper. Sadly, some addicts have gone to fentanyl, also known as elephant tranquilizers. Now, as a nation, we are stuck in a hole that seems impossible to dig out of.
Human beings are dying every hour of opioid abuse. In hopes of ending this vicious cycle, Dan Schneider educates viewers in a whole new light. The Pharmacist keeps the audience on their toes while enlightening them. It is a must watch.