At its best, filmmaking is more than storytelling—it’s a call to action.
Just ask Ohio Northern University student pharmacists Jennica Herrod-Gonzalez and Demetrius Lockridge. After attending a campus screening of “Inheritance,” an award-winning documentary on the opioid crisis, they felt compelled to act.
The film follows a family near Pomeroy, Ohio, in rural Appalachia, with multiple family members affected by substance abuse. Curtis Ramsey, a boy age 11 when the film begins, is followed for over a decade as he navigates life amid substance use disorder and poverty.
Generously funded by the Tom (BSPh ’82) and Karen Kier (BSPh ’82) Fund, a private showing of the film in the fall with Ramsey and filmmaker Matt Moyer allowed the ONU community to see the impact of the opioid crisis on this family in rural Ohio. After the film, a Q &A session with audience members, Ramsey, and Moyer made the film’s impact even more personal.
As co-chairs of the substance use committee for ONU’s chapter of the American Pharmacists Association, both Jennica, a second-year student pharmacist from Dola, Ohio, and Demetrius, a fifth-year student pharmacist from Solon, Ohio, believe in the importance of education to combat substance use.
Inspired by the film, they launched a campaign to educate the ONU community about the dangers of fentanyl and other opioids, training students on how to use fentanyl testing strips and Naloxone, a life-saving medicine that can reverse opioid overdoses.
“The film did an excellent job of humanizing substance use disorder for people who don’t have any interaction with it in their day-to-day life,” said Demetrius.
For Jennica, the cause is personal. Several members of her family struggle with substance use disorder.
“I got very emotional throughout the movie—it was rough,” she said. “But at the same time, it was amazing to see the faculty and students who showed up, seeking to understand what it was like for people like me who grew up around substance use disorder.”
Demetrius was surprised to learn that rural Hardin County was a hot spot for opioid abuse. As a student with plans to focus on geriatrics, he recognizes the value in understanding substance use disorder.
“As pharmacists, we will encounter a broad patient population, and we are going to see patients struggling with these issues or unknowingly contributing to them by not understanding the risks of these medications,” he said.
As part of their education campaign, the students visited Greek Houses on campus where they shared practical safety tips and harm-reduction strategies. They handed out drink covers to raise awareness of the risk of having drinks laced with fentanyl. They plan to visit other student groups next year and ensure all Resident Advisors are educated on the risks and symptoms of substance abuse.
“We want students to practice safe habits and learn about easy ways they can protect themselves and their friends,” said Demetrius.
Jennica added that they also educated students about the signs of opioid overdose and how to use Naloxone. Each Greek house now has a Naloxone kit, obtained through a grant from Project DAWN via the Ohio Department of Health.
Through their efforts, Jennica has grown more confident in teaching and counseling others. But more importantly, she hopes their work has a lasting impact.
"We are trying to impart basic knowledge that could save a life," she said.