Activity 1: "Through a Blue Lens"

Through a Blue Lens was a compelling documentary that took place in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. Vancouver police officers followed several drug addicts throughout the video as they documented their daily lives, learned their names and stories, and gathered insight on what it is really like to be dependent on drugs. This video was made in order to convey to young people the horrors of addiction and attempt to keep kids away from drugs. The underlying theme of this film ultimately is that drugs and drug use are destructive habits that take over and ruin ones entire life. The drug users in this film constantly express how miserable they are and how the drugs and drug use has destroyed their lives. I also think an important message expressed in this video is that drugs don’t discriminate. Drug addiction can happen to any person at any time. No matter what age, race, income level, family and personal background, a person can become addicted. I think that sharing the stories of addicts like Darlene, who came from an abusive home, in comparison to addicts like Nicola, who came from a privileged home, really gets this message across. Both of these women are in the same situation due to drug use, despite they way that they grew up. I think that this video was very effective in getting the themes and messages across, especially by showing the first hand accounts of the horrific consequences of drug use. Examples of these horrific accounts include living on the streets, Carlee’s wounds and scars that resulted from her picking at her skin while high, multiple users rolling around on the ground scared and in pain with no idea what was actually happening, and showing a man overdose. These addicts live horrible and unhealthy lives and have nothing but their drug addition. Overall, I think that this was a great insight to every day lives of drug addicts and I think it would be successful in deterring kids from beginning down the devastating path of addiction.