Groups Partner With HBO to Present Addiction Documentaries

NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, or NIAAA, along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, are teaming with HBO to present the Addiction Project, an HBO documentary campaign aimed at educating viewers about advances in understanding and treating drug and alcohol addiction.

According to the campaign's materials, more than 23 million Americans, or nearly one in 10 individuals age 12 or older, struggle with substance abuse or dependence. Yet only about 10 percent are getting the treatment they need. Federal health policy experts estimate that the economic costs of substance abuse and addiction -- resulting from health care expenditures, lost productivity and crime -- exceed a half trillion dollars annually in the United States.

Clearly, the message needs to be sent that addiction is a treatable disease that merits public attention and understanding, say national health officials.

"The National Institutes of Health is proud to be part of this effort to educate Americans about the nature of addiction and its devastating consequences," said NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, M.D., in a news release about the project. "We especially appreciate the opportunity to inform the public about the scientific research that is transforming our understanding and treatment of addictive disorders."

The centerpiece of the Addiction Project campaign is a 90-minute documentary that will air Thursday, March 15, at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO. Additional components include 13 supplemental segments airing on HBO2 from March 16-18. Topics to be tackled in these components include

All campaign components will be available on HBO on Demand as well as via educational DVD distribution channels. HBO also will stream the programs online between March 15 and April 16. Check the HBO Web site for schedule details and to learn more about additional resources available as part of the campaign.

In addition, various NIDA and NIAAA publications can help bolster the Addiction Project message, including

National groups collaborating to promote the project at the grassroots level include Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, Faces and Voices of Recovery, and Join Together. Community activities being conducted nationwide will include "house parties" to view the program and discuss the issues and town hall meetings.