DOPE IS DEATH is the story of how the Young Lords and Black Panther Party—two inner-city human rights activist groups— created the first acupuncture detoxification program in America. In 1973 the Lincoln Detox Acupuncture center was birthed from social and political movements sweeping the nation. These primarily minority-led human rights organizations, whose ideals and methods were often deemed radical by mainstream standards, were demanding affordable, quality community healthcare and social justice. This was especially true concerning the New York City heroin epidemic ravaging underserved communities. Their drive to create a chemical-free detox program was in response to Nixon’s methadone maintenance programs. The government-funded clinics used methadone to curb the painful heroin withdrawal symptoms but did not focus on eradicating chemical dependency. With Dr. Mutulu Shakur, stepfather of Tupac Shukur, serving as the Lincoln center’s frontman, the detox program helped hundreds of patients in a safe and effective way. This compelling documentary profiles a visionary community healthcare program created by the people for the people, which ultimately led to a protocol practiced in over 600 healthcare facilities in the U.S. alone. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)