In a direct response to the concerning rise in drug overdoses among the youth, Indianapolis-based nonprofit Overdose Lifeline premiered "Perspectives," a prevention film aimed at reshaping drug education, at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center tonight. The documentary extends the organization's "This is Not About Drugs" initiative, targeting a younger demographic more susceptible to substance experimentation, as reproted by WRTV.

Chief Executive Officer and founder of Overdose Lifeline, Justin Phillips, explained the impetus behind the project. "Just 'say no' is really an unrealistic expectation," he said, according to an interview with WISH-TV. "Young people…developmentally are supposed to experiment. We need them to (understand) that experimentation is a risk to their developing brain." In an approach to better inform, rather than merely dissuade, "Perspectives" is segmented into five chapters, each designed to function as a self-guided lesson on substance use prevention.

The creative process behInd the documentary included interviews with teens and young adults from various parts of the nation, sharing their personal accounts of how drugs have altered their lives. Accompanying these narratives, experts lend their medical and scientific insights to give viewers a well-rounded perspective on the issue.

With Marion County reporting 33 drug-related deaths among individuals under 24 last year, according to data from the Indiana Department of Health, Overdose Lifeline is actively seeking out novel methods to effectively communicate the dangers of substance use. "For decades, the messaging to young people has been just say no and that doesn't really do well," film director Bryan Sims said, in a statement obtained by WRTV.