When Dan Schneider learns about his son’s murder at the hands of a drug deal gone bad, he’s not sure if he and his wife can go on.

It was so unexpected. So tragic.

Grief-stricken and with police leads dry, he picks up the pieces and begins a quest into solving his son’s murder.

The new Netflix release looks at how one man affected by the burgeoning opioid epidemic turns his grief into advocacy. Working as a pharmacist in St. Bernard Parish, Louisana, Dan Schneider’s unique perspective into the pharmaceutical industry, finds him as one of the first people to sound the alarm on the abuse of opioids.

Spurred on by his eventual discovery of his son’s killer (through shear tenacity and his faith in God), Schneider’s awareness of the misuse of prescription drugs—namely Oxycontin—leads him to begin questioning its growing prescription.

To him, most of the patients with orders for the drug seem healthy.

With naivete and a never-give-up personality, Schneider starts his own investigation into where many are getting their orders filled and why so many are dying.

The search leads him to one of the nation’s most prolific, over-prescribing doctors. As he digs deeper and finds more disturbing pieces to the puzzle, he turns to federal agents for help.

Is he too late? And, is there any way to stop the tide?

How one person can turn their tragedy into good

This is an amazing true tale of one man turning his sadness and grief into a compulsive quest for justice. Not one to wallow in pity, Schneider chronicles his journey with obsessive notes and audio recordings of his search to find his son’s killer and the epicenter of the drug deals.

It’s a hopeful story of someone using tragedy for good and how one person can make a difference.

Schneider uses his sons death to fuel advocacy for the addicted and to encourage prevention in younger generations. It’s something we all aspire to if faced with a similar situation – but so few us likely have the fortitude, patience or faith.

The Pharmacist showcases the early beginnings of the present opioid crisis and how long its taken the government (and its people) to catch on to the tragic toll. Every day, 130 people die of opioid overdoses. And, it costs the U.S. 78.5 billion annually.

Kudos to Netflix for airing this important documentary and telling the story of an amazing man swept up in grief and action for truth to ensure others don’t have to go through the same pain.

Reference

National Institute of Drug Abuse.

Image from Netflix

Last Updated on February 12, 2020