There are many movies that drug addiction available for people to watch. Some people may question movies about drug addiction – are they realistic? Do they portray the truth? Do some movies glamorize drug addiction? Should movies about drug addiction be used as a drug prevention programs?
The answer to these questions is that anything from Hollywood is likely going to be a little less than “realistic” – however some are pretty close and accurate. Movies about drug addiction that depict drug use and its effects realistically may be helpful for others to understand addiction better, as well as help others understand what can really happen by getting involved with drugs or alcohol.
Some movies about drugs and alcohol may effectively scare teens or others into avoiding ever becoming involved with drugs or alcohol. They can be helpful for friends and family members who need to understand drug and alcohol addiction, movies about drug addiction may even help addicts realize that they have a problem and should seek help before its too late.
Below we’ve listed some movies about drug addiction:
Acts of Worship: This movie is about a young girl’s struggle with addiction in a non preachy or glamorized manner. Parents who have children at risk for drug addiction may find this movie beneficial. Learn More
Trainspotting: Trainspotting is one of the most well known movies about drug addiction. It is about four Scottish friends who battle with drug addiction and one who tries to get away from it all. The scenes are very graphic, so a strong stomach helps!
This may be a good movie to watch for a teen who is experimenting with softer drugs, as it may possibly scare them from being involved with heroin. Learn More
Basketball Diaries: This early Leonardo DiCaprio film is about a teenager who enjoyed playing basketball but begins to get caught up in addiction. The withdrawal scenes and other scenes can show what happens as heroin begins to control one’s life.
Addiction: This documentary is about addiction and the effects it has on other people as well as some interesting research about drug addiction. Learn More
Clean and Sober: This 1988 film starring Michael Keaton may seem slightly out dated, but it still has the basics of a high profile businessman going through cocaine addiction and rehab. Learn More
Drunks: This movie is about men who meet to talk about their drinking problems. It is a somewhat realistic example of how raw and uncensored rehab can be. Learn More
28 Days: 28 Days stars Sandra Bullock as an alcoholic going through rehab. It’s a little on the light hearted side, and not entirely realistic, but does have some good points on what you can expect during rehab and shows that rehab is not quite as scary of a place as some think it may be. Learn More
Traffic: This movie is about a newly pointed drug czar, his own teenage daughter falling into drug addiction, and the “war on drugs”. It’s an interesting movie, though somewhat glamorized and overdone. If anything, it is a good movie about addiction for parents to watch to understand how important it is to be involved in their child’s life. Learn More
Our list of movies about drug addiction may not be the best movies ever or all Academy Award winners. They are rarely found on lists of “top 100 movies of all time”. However, all of these movies that depict drug use and its effects could possibly be good examples for the prevention of drug abuse and addiction and teaching others what addiction and treatment can be like.