WHO CAUSED THE OPIOID CRISIS

The covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragility of our Health Care Systems and exposed our society's many fault lines. As we work to continue and overcome this crisis, it's important to remember that other crises in recent history have also left a trail of devastation. One such crisis is the Opioid epidemic, which has affected people of all ages races and backgrounds, in a shattered countless families and yet the root cause of the crisis is not some shadowy drug dealer on a street corner but rather illegal and highly profitable industry as the saying goes being a drug dealer is fine as long as you're a corporation. One Corporation in particular has been linked to the crisis more than any other Purdue Pharma, the maker of the highly addictive painkiller Oxycontin.

The Sackler family who owned Purdue Pharma, are responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic and worsening an already tragic situation. Through their aggressive marketing tactics and Shady business practices, the opioid crisis has destroyed countless families and communities. Addiction is a disease that affects the mind and soul as well as the body. Seeing how quickly pain medication can become a lifelong struggle is heartbreaking. Addiction can cause people who are once Community pillars to lose everything.

Jobs homes and families were all lost in an instant it is a stork reminder of life's fragility and the value of empathy and understanding the Sackler's first foray into business was a small pharmaceutical company, that manufactured and marketed Valium a mild sedative that quickly became a household name in the 1960s. Arthur, Mortimer and Raymond Sackler, the three Sackler Brothers saw an opportunity to Market their drug as a safe and non-addictive alternative, existing sedatives and invested heavily in advertising campaigns. Their efforts paid off and Valium quickly became a blockbuster drug, generating billions of dollars in profits for the family.

However this success was only the beginning of the Sackler's Venture into the pharmaceutical industry. They went on to develop an aggressively market for more potent painkillers such as Oxycontin, which became synonymous with the devastating opioid epidemic. The Sackler family's influence in the pharmaceutical industry grew, and they eventually became significant players in treating cancer treatment, thanks to the development of drugs like Taxol.

However their aggressive marketing tactics and shady business practices were soon linked to the opioid epidemic which destroyed many people's lives, revealing the darker side of their pharmaceutical empire. The release of Oxycontin in 1996, was supposed to be a game changer for chronic pain patients, but the family knew that simply developing an effective drug wasn't enough.

They used their marketing skills and launched an aggressive campaign aimed at doctors. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary they offered lucrative incentives for prescribing Oxycontin and convinced them that it was less addictive than other painkillers. It's difficult to imagine the level of deception required to create such a false narrative all in the name of profit.

It's a tragedy that so many people became addicted and died due to the Sackler's greed and unethical behavior. Their marketing strategy had been a smashing success and oxycontin had become a billion dollar industry for Purdue Pharma by 2001. The family had struck gold yet again and the company increased production of the drug to keep up with demand. The opening of the floodgates quickly saturated the market with Oxycontin.

People from all walks of life from Suburban moms to high school students began to obtain the highly addictive drug. It was a disaster in the marketing but the Sacklers continued to profit seemingly unconcerned about the human toll their actions were exacting.The zackler's methods for promoting Oxycontin were unethical and deceptive. They had pushed the drug on doctors downplaying its addictive properties and encouraging them to prescribe it for even minor pain problems.

To make matters worse Purdue Pharma wins so far as to paid doctors who prescribed Oxycontin more frequently creating a perverse incentive structure, prioritizing profit over patient care patients became addicted to the highly addictive drug, and the opioid epidemic that followed left a trail of destruction and heartbreak in its wake. As the use of Oxycontin increased so did the number of people who became addicted to it it was evident by the early 2000s that the family's aggressive marketing tactics had resulted in a Public Health crisis. Many people prescribed Oxycontin became addicted and developed a desperate need for more.

As the use of Oxycontin skyrocketed so did the number of people addicted to it. By the early 2000s, it became clear that the Sackler's aggressive marketing tactics had created a Public Health crisis. Those prescribed Oxycontin found themselves quickly becoming addicted and desperate for more. They turned to Illegal means to obtain the drug, leading to a surge in heroin use as a cheaper and more accessible alternative. The number of Overdose deaths continued to climb and entire communities were devastated by the epidemic.

People who appeared like zombies were stumbling around the streets in post-apocalyptic days. It was a stark reminder of the dangers of prioritizing profit over human life. The Sacklers were able to get Oxycontin approved for use in children as young as 11 years old which is shocking. This action only exacerbated the opioid epidemic which was already wreaking havoc on communities nationwide. Despite mounting evidence of the Drug's harmful effects, the Sacklers and Purdue Pharma continued to downplay its risks and advocate for its widespread use.

Today, we still feel the consequences of their actions. The Sackler family wielded significant power over the FDA lobbying for the approval of their drugs including Oxycontin, using their wealth and political connections critics accuse the FBA of being overly lenient in its authorization of Oxycontin and failing to take sufficient action to address its highly addictive properties. They also hired high-profile individuals with close ties to the FDA, strengthening their grip on the agency. As a result of the lack of regulatory environment, the family profited enormously from their highly addictive drugs.

The family's power and wealth grew over time. Purdue pharma's Oxycontin sales skyrocketed, increasing the family's net worth to an estimated 13 billion dollars by 2016. The protests against the Sacklers and their role in the opioid crisis gained attraction in the early 2010s. Addiction and overdose advocates activists and families took to the streets to demand accountability and Justice. The devastation caused by Oxycontin and other prescription opioids in communities across the country as well as the Sackler's involvement in the crisis sparked the protests.

These protests helped to bring the issue into the national spotlight and shed light on the Sackler family's actions. As the Sackler family's role in the opioid epidemic became more widely known, their legacy began to crumble. Purdue Pharma, the company they founded faced mounting legal challenges, with hundreds of lawsuits alleging that the company misled doctors and patients about the dangers of Oxycontin following the public awareness of the opioid crisis. The family claims that they were not to blame for the epidemic, but rather that it was the fault of those who misused the drug.

This statement however was met with widespread criticism and protests from people across the country who the crisis had personally impacted. As more information about the Sackler's role became public, their reputation suffered irreparable damage. The lawsuits against the Sacklers and Purdue Pharma kept piling up and the fines and settlements they had to pay reached astronomical levels. They were sued by individuals, cities and states, all seeking to hold them accountable for the devastation they had caused in 2019 alone.

They paid over 600 million dollars in settlements, and their legal battles were far from over. As the pressure mounted their vast wealth began to go downhill and they were forced to declare bankruptcy. The downfall of this once powerful family was swift and stunning and it left a trail of destruction in its way. Corporations have assembled massive amounts of wealth, power and influence throughout history and that should come with a civic duty to the people. Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family betrayed that by prioritizing profits over people's lives.

They marketed a highly addictive drug to doctors while fully aware of the dangers it would cause. The opioid epidemic devastated thousands of families and it will take generations to heal the wounds it caused. One day there may be a cure for every disease and pandemic, but there will never be a cure for the selfish greed that drives some individuals and corporations to sacrifice human lives for their benefit. A dark chapter in medical history will remember the Sackler's Legacy, a cautionary tale of what happens when prophets come before people.