Dreamscape Media Partners With Turner Publishing For Release Of DO NO HARM: THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

Dreamscape Media, the publishing and entertainment arm of Midwest Tape, today announced the release of DO NO HARM: THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, a multimedia educational series that chronicles the progression of what experts deem the "worst man-made public health epidemic in American history." Documented through the poignant stories of the individuals and communities most impacted by the crisis, DO NO HARM: The OPIOID EPIDEMIC investigates the epidemic as it unfolded, and the grassroots movement to combat it. The content series includes a documentary, a new audiobook produced by Dreamscape Media and a taped lecture by Dr. Andrew Kolodny, one of the nation's foremost experts on drug addiction. Public library patrons with a valid library card can access each title in the series through hoopla digital, Midwest Tape's mobile and online service for public libraries. The audiobook will also be available for purchase through Amazon, Audible and Apple.

"Every 11 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from an opioid overdose[1]. The statistics are staggering - and they're causing devastation within our families, our communities, and every sector of our economy," said Harry Wiland, director of the film, DO NO HARM: THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC and author of its accompanying book of the same name. "My intent with DO NO HARM: THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC was to document how this crisis ballooned into an epidemic, to demand accountability and to shed light on the Heroes within the movement and the physicians who are looking for solutions to this worst manmade epidemic"

Wiland's feature documentary (run time: 1 hr:30 min), produced by Media Policy Center, explores the roots of the epidemic from the perspectives of those most devastated by its progression. Filmed in the opioid epidemic ground zeros of Seattle, Kentucky and New Hampshire, the documentary features poignant stories from those hit hardest by prescription opioid addiction and overdose death. The documentary is narrated by Golden Globe-winning actor Ed Harris.

The book from Turner Publishing, a follow-up to the film, pairs Wiland with researcher and journalist Peter Segall, and Executive Director of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, for an examination of how the crisis quietly, and devastatingly, reached epidemic levels. The audiobook is narrated by Adam Barr.

"This was an important acquisition for us, because we know how many lives the opioid crisis has touched," said Turner Publishing Executive Editor Stephanie Beard. "This book will be an essential part of the continued efforts by policy makers and health professionals to educate the public about the dangers of opioid abuse."

"No community is immune to the devastation of the opioid crisis, and so many will suffer in silence," said Dreamscape Media Publisher Tammy Faxel. "Wiland and the team at Turner Publishing are giving these communities a voice. Dreamscape is committed to elevating stories that can inspire action, and collaborating with talented storytellers, like Wiland, to raise these critical issues. We also want to ensure this work is accessible to a wider audience, by opening its distribution to both library and retail audiences. Through hoopla digital, each title in the DO NO HARM: THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC content series is available to anyone with a valid library card."

As part of the series, Dreamscape Media has also released "The Prescription Opioid and Heroin Crisis: An Epidemic of Addiction," Dr. Kolodny's lecture from the 2018 Prescription Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit. In his lecture, Dr. Kolodny, featured prominently in the film and the book, addresses the steps of action the U.S. must take to save its citizens from succumbing to the effects of addiction.

"I believe that education is the key to fighting this epidemic. Through raw storytelling we can quite literally save lives, and save our communities," added Wiland. "Dreamscape Media created a platform for these crucial stories to be heard."

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