Newsbeat Documentaries

Is your postman unknowingly delivering drugs ordered online? Newsbeat finds that few checks take place in the UK's postal system, with users saying they are so sure their orders will arrive, they are trying out new drugs. Royal Mail says it does not knowingly carry any illegal items in its network. But can the UK learn from other countries like New Zealand where police work more closely with the postal service?

Jobs, guns and God. We hear the reasons some Donald Trump supporters voted for him to become the most powerful man in the world. Newsbeat reporters Jonathan Blake and Declan Harvey spoke to young Americans during a road trip across Texas, hearing from the supporters we didn't see much of during the campaign. From the son of an illegal immigrant who believes illegal immigrants are destroying America, to a young voter who believes her religious freedom is under attack from gay marriage; the people who voted for President-elect Trump do not fit any specific stereotype. The film also features a young graduate who cannot find a job, and a voter who struggles with Mr Trump's apparent lack of religious conviction and, even though he voted for him, fears he's not conservative enough.

Most viral memes are the ones which make us laugh, but what about when that humour is vicious, even criminal, when an innocent person is the image being used as the joke? The Joy of Memes explores the happy side and the dark side of this internet phenomenon. Memes are a new language, a creative process which anybody can become involved in. But they require the oxygen of social media to turn them from a gag that your friends giggle at to a viral hit. You might be surprised where they originate from too - and how long the word's been around!

Protein shakes and bars seem part of gym-life but are you wasting money using them to try to bulk up? Newsbeat explores the multi-billion pound protein supplement industry with the help of experts and users, including one who agrees to stop using them for six weeks to see if he can get results by eating protein-rich food instead. We also meet: a man who damaged his kidneys by taking too many protein supplements; the gym manager who says selling supplements makes up around 60% of their business and one of the country's largest distributors who says the protein supplement industry needs tighter regulation.

What is it like being told your mum is a lesbian? That happened to Jillian 20 years ago, but have the decades since made it easier for parents to come out to their children? Jillian speaks to her two mums, her brother and two of her step-sisters to discover how they coped with their mums coming out. She also meets a recently married gay couple to ask how their children coped with being told dad is gay.

Newsbeat take a look at the arguments for and against the legalisation of cannabis.

Does the world have Generation Z wrong? Exploring the misconceptions of 16-22 year olds and asking, how they see their future? Looking at wages, homes, debt and more. Generation Z are those aged 16-22. Often told they'll struggle to own a home, earn a decent wage, or recover from student debt. But how do they see their future? It counters misconceptions revealed in a major survey comparing Gen Z's view of themselves with that of older generations, with some eye opening results. "Z-ers" may be viewed as shallow digital natives, incapable of real world friendships, but they see themselves as hardworking, entrepreneurial and about to change the world for the better.

Moeen Ali and others reveal what it takes to be Asian, Muslim and playing for England. As the Ashes starts, the "beard that's feared" discusses being made a "poster boy" for Islam. Reporter Ankur Desai also visits Adil Rashid, Haseeb Hameed and Zafar Ansari to discuss their journeys to the top of the game. Back in November 2016, four British Muslims played in the starting England Cricket team to take on India in Rajkot...a first. Since then, those who run cricket have become increasingly concerned about how few South Asians are making the transition from grassroots to professional career. Ankur explores some of the reasons why.

What's it like being in a rock band, and dealing with the symptoms of Crohn's Disease? Follow Black Foxxes frontman Mark Holley as he pushes himself further than ever to continue doing what he loves. There are over 90,000 young people in the UK with Crohn's disease. This number has been growing by hundreds of patients every year over the last decade. With no known cause or cure, some sufferers feel like "guinea pigs" with various treatments and side-effects being inflicted on them until their symptoms are under control. The symptoms can include some of the most unpleasant and embarrassing – persistent diarrhoea, bleeding, and excruciating stomach pains. Mark's had the illness for eight years. We join him as the band play some of their biggest shows to date and record their second album. Along the way he meets a young sufferer who has just been diagnosed, to discuss the concerns of living with Crohn’s. We also hear from one of the leading Crohn's doctors in Europe, as we explore the challenges facing young people with the disease and find out if the UK is any closer to finding a solution.

Four young people reveal the dramatic highs and lows living with various mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, anorexia, OCD, and bipolar. Over several months they've given us an intimate glimpse into their lives, showing us moments of crisis alongside hopes of improvement and recovery. In this documentary we see 24-year-old Bex demonstrate why it takes such a long time just for her to leave the house, Mat comes to terms with the impact alcohol has on his anxiety and panic attacks, Gemma faces up to getting counselling for her depression, and Laura sets herself monthly goals to help battle anorexia - including taking the big step of having a massage. Can they cope, what does the future hold?

Investigating claims steroid use in gyms is on the rise. We hear from a user and a dealer as health experts say anabolic steroids are being used more than ever before. Doctors are warning about the long term dangers of using them. We see Gareth, who's 29 and has been using them for five years, undergoing a test to see if his health has been damaged. He says he likes how steroids make him feel and look. A steroid dealer also talks about how he knows he's breaking the law but sells them anyway. As well as how he's seen a big growth in demand from all ages, but especially young men, under pressure to have the 'perfect' body.