• Going Cold Turkey – Channel 4 pushes boundaries again

    As I type I am watching Channel 4’s latest venture into controversial broadcasting. Going Cold Turkey is a week long documentary, part of Addiction Week, following a group of heroin addicts as they attempt to rid their bodies of the drug.
    Channel 4 has always been at the fore of thought-provoking and challenging programming and this series is no different. At first it seems as though you are watching Big Brother for junkies but it quickly becomes apparent that this issue is not being exploited by the station.
    On the first episode you are introduced to the people undertaking detox, given their backgrounds and shown interviews with their parents. General information on drug use is also provided. The programme airs twice daily at both 9:30 am and 11:00 pm; the first is aimed at young adults as part of the Channel 4 Education schedule.
    The show raises questions, just like every other anti-drugs campaign; will the effect of this show soon wear off, meaning the next needs to be more shocking in order to work? Is this exploitation for shock or a genuine moral campaign? Will the people who need to see it, see it?
    These questions are not easily answered, but you do have to commend Channel 4; they are always willing to target the heart of any subject and they pull no punches when doing so. This is certain to shock many people, it’s certain to raise great debate from a Political level down and it is sure to open many eyes.
    This show features people whom are going through cold turkey; an anti-drugs advert in the extreme sense. It shows heroins effects on all levels, from the user to the family around them and it teaches serious lessons about the use of hard drugs. In my opinion, if just one person is changed by this show it was worth its while. There will always be drugs in this world, the only way to stop them is to show people how damaging they are, and the only way to do that is to show them the direct effect they have; no pamphlet or acted advert will ever make you aware of the reality of the situation; I urge you to watch this.