The Sackler Legacy: Check How OxyContin Kick started Today’s Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis is one of the biggest & hardest public health problems in the United States today. Millions of people have become addicted to opioids as well as strong pain medicines. Because of this hundreds of thousands have died from overdoses. One drug, in particular, played a huge role in starting this crisis: OxyContin. And behind OxyContin is a powerful & wealthy family known as the Sacklers.

What Is OxyContin?

OxyContin is a painkiller made from a drug called oxycodone. Oxycodone is an opioid, which means it works by changing the way the brain feels pain. It shuts down the pain phenomenon in brain. When taken properly & for short periods, opioids can help people who are in serious & bone-chilling pain. But they can also be very addictive.

Carfentanil and Other Fentanyl Analogues: Understanding the Next Wave of Deadly Opioids

Fentanyl vs. Heroin: Know How This Synthetic Opioid Compares and Why It’s More Dangerous

In 1996, a company named Purdue Pharma released OxyContin. Purdue is owned & run by the Sackler family. The firm said OxyContin was a miracle drug for pain & that it was safe. They also said it was not very addictive. But that was not true.

The Sackler Family and Purdue Pharma

The Sacklers are a wealthy American family who made most of their money from pharmaceuticals. Three brothers named Arthur, Mortimer & Raymond Sackler were the faces behind the growth of Purdue Pharma. Arthur Sackler helped create the modern drug advertising. He was very good at selling drugs through doctors as well as medical journals.

After Arthur died, Mortimer & Raymond focused on developing & selling OxyContin. They saw a chance to make a lot of money & they took that opportunity. Purdue Pharma earned billions of dollars from OxyContin. The Sackler family became one of the richest families in the America.

False Claims and Aggressive Marketing

Purdue Pharma told doctors as well as patients that OxyContin was different from other opioids. They said it gave long-lasting pain relief & also had a low risk of addiction. These claims were not backed by solid science or proof by them.

The company trained salespeople to push OxyContin hard. They paid doctors to speak at events so that they can encourage other doctors to prescribe it & people to take it. Purdue even gave out free coupons so people could try the drug for free. Doctors began prescribing OxyContin not just for cancer or surgery, but for back pain, minor headaches & also for other day-to-day problems.

As more people took OxyContin, more became addicted to it. Some crushed the pills to snort or inject them. This gave them a fast & strong high. The pill’s “time-release” feature could be easily defeated. Purdue knew about this but kept mum & quiet.

Addiction and Overdose Start to Rise

By the early 2000s, the number of individuals addicted to opioids was rising at an alarming rate. So were deaths from overdose. OxyContin was at the center of it. People who became addicted often moved on to stronger opioids like heroin or fentanyl when they could no longer get OxyContin legally. They were so addicted that they couldn’t live without this drug. Families across America started losing loved ones. Small towns were especially hard-hit. Emergency rooms, jails as well as social services were overwhelmed. The U.S. government began to take notice.

Purdue Gets Sued

In 2007, Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty to misleading doctors & the public. The firm had lied about how addictive OxyContin really was & its other effects. Purdue had to pay $600 million in fines. Some company leaders were also charged with fines.

But that did not stop the crisis. Purdue kept selling OxyContin. The Sacklers kept making more & more money. In the years that followed, thousands of cities, states & families sued Purdue & the Sacklers for their role in the opioid epidemic.

Bankruptcy and Settlements

In 2019, Purdue Pharma filed for bankruptcy due to cases. This was part of a deal to settle thousands of lawsuits. In 2021, the Sackler family agreed upon to pay over $4.5 billion to help fight the opioid crisis. But many people were furious & angry. They felt the Sacklers got off too easy in the case. Even though they gave up control of Purdue, they still kept billions of dollars for themselves.

Later, a new court decision required the Sacklers to pay even more which was up to $6 billion. But as part of the deal, they were protected from future lawsuits. Some victims as well as families felt this was unfair. They wanted the Sacklers to be held fully responsible for this opioid epidemic.

A Damaged Legacy

The Sacklers once gave a lot of money to museums, schoolsas well as hospitals. Their name was on buildings, properties & galleries around the world. Many of those institutions have nowremoved the Sackler name. They don’t want to be associated with the family that contributed to so much harm to society.

Books, movies & documentaries have told the story of the Sacklers & the drug OxyContin. One popular series, Dopesick, shows how the drug tore families apart & how Purdue pushed it despite knowing the big time dangers.

Lessons from the Crisis

The OxyContin story teaches us some very important lessons:

• Greed can destroy lives: Purdue & the Sacklers made billions by lying about the risks of a dangerous drug like OxyContin.
• Addiction is a health issue: Many personnels became addicted through no fault of their own. They trusted their doctors & suffered the consequences. They had no idea they were taking drugs.
• Firms must be honest: Drug companies must give clear & honest information about the risks of their items.
• Better laws are needed: We need stronger & robust rules to stop firms from putting profits over people.

The Crisis Continues

Even today, the opioid crisis is not over completely. Newer drugs like fentanyl are even more deadly. Over 100,000 people die each year from drug overdoses in the U.S. itself & many of those are from opioids like these. Many people are still struggling with addiction.

The Sackler legacy will always be tied to this tragedy. While they may have built museums & donated to schools, their biggest impact may be the pain left behind by OxyContin.

Final Thoughts

The story of the Sacklers along with OxyContin is a warning. It shows how one powerful family & one drug firm can start a crisis that has killed hundreds of thousands & hurt millions more. It reminds us to hold powerful people as well as firms accountable& to never put money above human lives.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. StreetDrugs.org does not promote or encourage the use of any illegal substances.