Fight against opioid epidemic in Franklin County featured in new documentary series

With an increasing opioid epidemic across the country, Franklin County, Ohio will soon be in the spotlight as part of a new Showtime series.

The network will air a special five-part documentary series called "The Trade" starting Feb. 2, and showcases how the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and the HOPE Task Force is trying to combat the drug in Central Ohio.

The series tracks issues with heroin and opioids in the Columbus area, showing how it affects addicts, their families, law enforcement, and the community. The creators also look into cartels in Mexico, and how the drug makes its way into communities in the United States.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office says Central Ohio was chosen as a location for the documentary film after a production company noticed some of their work with the HOPE Task Force, and traveled to Columbus in the summer of 2016.

The series was selected for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, and debuts on Showtime February 2nd at 9:00 PM.