Oxyana (2013)

Oxyana is a 2013 documentary film produced by Sean Dunne. The film provides a raw and unflinching look at the impact of prescription drug abuse in rural Southern West Virginia, specifically centered around the town of Oceana and the surrounding Wyoming County¹. Here’s what you need to know:

The Setting: Oceana, West Virginia

• Oceana was once a thriving coal mining town but has faced economic decline and poverty in recent years.
• The introduction of oxycodone (a powerful prescription painkiller) in the early 1990s had a profound effect on the community.

The Crisis Unveiled

• “Oxyana” documents the devastating impact of opioid addiction on individuals, families, and the town as a whole.
• Many residents are either involved in the drug trade or struggling with addiction themselves.
• The film captures the haunting reality of a community swallowed by the opioid epidemic.

Ethical Dilemmas and Human Stories

• The documentary features direct interviews with dealers, addicts, and townspeople.
• It portrays the effects of drugs on individual families and raises ethical questions about addiction, poverty, and survival.

Oxyana serves as a cautionary tale—a visceral glimpse into an American nightmare fueled by prescription drugs. It’s a story that echoes far beyond the borders of West Virginia, urging us to confront the complexities of addiction and its impact on communities.