In this powerful conclusion to our "War on Drugs" series, we confront the opioid epidemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and reshaped the landscape of addiction in America. We trace the origins of the crisis back to Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, whose aggressive marketing of OxyContin in the 1990s and early 2000s helped normalize the widespread prescribing of highly addictive painkillers.

Listeners will learn how deceptive pharmaceutical campaigns, coupled with systemic failures in regulation and oversight, created the conditions for one of the deadliest addiction waves in U.S. history. We break down:

- The rise of OxyContin and Purdue Pharma's marketing strategies - The Sackler family's influence and pursuit of profit over public health - How the opioid epidemic escalated into a nationwide crisis - The human cost of addiction, from individuals to entire communities - Where do we go from here in addressing accountability and recovery

This episode is not just about exposing the failures that fueled the epidemic, it's about understanding the lessons we must carry forward to prevent history from repeating itself.

Listen to the rest of the War On Drugs Series:

Part 1- The History Of Alcohol https://addicttoathlete.libsyn.com/the-war-on-drugs-the-history-of-alcohol-part-1

Part 2- The Nixon Administration https://addicttoathlete.libsyn.com/the-war-on-drugs-the-nixon-administration-part-2 Part 3- WWII https://addicttoathlete.libsyn.com/the-war-on-drugs-wwii-part-3

Part 4- This Is Your Brain On Drugs https://addicttoathlete.libsyn.com/the-war-on-drugs-this-is-your-brain-on-drugs

Part 5- Deceptive Pharma; Purdue And The Sackler's https://addicttoathlete.libsyn.com/the-war-on-drugs-deceptive-pharma-purdue-and-the-sacklers

Learn more about Addict II Athlete www.addicttoathlete.org