Conspiracy theories are an integral part of society to answer the world’s unexplained questions. It is a theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators (Merriam-Webster). There are various ways to categorize these theories. According to Jesse Walker, there are five kinds: The enemy outside, the enemy within, the enemy above, the enemy below, and benevolent conspiracies (p. __). On the other hand Michael Barkun believes there are three types: event conspiracy, systematic conspiracy, and super-conspiracy (p. 6). The conspiracy theory at hand revolves around Purdue Pharmaceuticals (Purdue Pharma), and their release of opioids. Opium is a plant that was used from 1804 to now. In 1972 Contin was put on the market at a controlled drug-release system (Purdue Pharma L.P.). In 1984 MS Contin was put on the market as an extended-release formula of morphine, and in 1996 OxyContin was put on the market as an extended-release formula of Oxycodone (Van Zee). These drugs were released in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. According to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health these drugs are commonly used for pain and recreational use (__). Purdue Pharmaceuticals did not notify doctors and patients of the drug’s addictive properties, thus creating the opioid addiction epidemic in America. Due to them concealing the truth, a six hundred million dollar lawsuit was settled in May 2007, with more lawsuits to come
What if what you had been told your whole life was a lie? How would you feel if everything reported about a terrorist attack or a shooting was actually a conspiracy by the United States? What is a conspiracy? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a conspiracy is “a secret plan made by two or more people that is harmful or illegal”. There are so many conspiracy theories out there in the world starting as early as the 1800s. These theories range from scientific, terrorist, criminal, political, economic and business, and even religious conspiracies. The two conspiracy theories that I am talking about is the attack that changed the United States, as we knew it, the one that we believed was a terrorist attack, also known as 9/11, and the Sandy Hook shooting. There are multiple reasons that lead me to consider these two attacks to be something more than a terrorist and criminal attack. The reasons are because the timelines do not add up, there are too many inconsistencies, and the benefits are too great.
Over the past two decades, pharmaceutical companies have quietly invaded American’s homes by introducing new miracle drugs such as OxyContin into their daily lives. Purdue Pharmaceuticals introduced OxyContin saying it was a miracle cure for pain that would last twelve hours. However, “even when doctors began reporting that patients were complaining
Opioids are taking over the United States with its addictive composition, once patients are take opioids there is no escaping. The drug directed from opium which is obtained from a plant (Katz). Opioids are most commonly found in prescription pill from making underground sales more common. Since opioids are derived from a plant this makes the reality of home grown drugs more of an issue. American citizens overdosing on opioids is what is sparking the crisis because opioid “overdoses killed more people last year than guns or car accidents” (Katz). Opioids are extremely addictive and that is why so many citizens overdose on these types of drugs. After patients become hooked on opioids their body constantly is needing more and more opium to escape they pain they think they are enduring. The overdosing of Americans is not a small percentage of the population either, it is estimated that “over two million people in America have problem with opioids” proving this growing issue is an ongoing crisis (Katz). The United States government needs to take action immediately to the opioid crisis because doctors are overprescribing patients because they seemingly overreact to pain, and opioids are one of the most addictive drug types in the world.
Purdue Pharmacy is the company that is responsible for producing Oxycontin. It has a very complicated background, including the effort that was made to sell it, as well as neglecting to tell the public how addictive Oxycontin truly was. There are numerous actors involved in this case, who are guilty in committing crime. After careful research we have decided that the Oxycontin case is a Corporate Crime, as well as an Implicit Act of Commision, which will be explained in more detail below. Oxycontin is a drug that is still on the market and affecting millions of people today, which is why we want to highlight how Purdue Pharmacy is participating in crime. Before we can discuss the crimes involved, we have to begin with the background of
Sweeping the nation on a mass caliber is the opioid crisis. Stories have been depicted by every news channel across the nation on the crisis that has destroyed countless individuals lives. According Alanna Semuels's article, "Are Pharmaceutical Companies to Blame for the Opioid Epidemic?", she reports the fault of the calamity. Semuels points out that the perpetrator of this utterly horrendous plague is the doctors who have over-prescribed medication, as well as the pharmaceutical industry. This crisis has been slowly evolving over the past decades but is only now making its way into the mainstream media headlines. The pharmaceutical industry has been steadily infiltrated its' way into all arrangements of healthcare in the sole pursuit of gaining
In the early 1990’s many doctors were hesitant in prescribing narcotics because they were seen as harmful and habit forming. Purdue Pharma the creator of OxyContin changed the ways of the drug industry. Purdue changed the mindset of many physicians and family doctors inconveniencing them that the new to the market drug was revolutionary, with promises of quick pain relief that last up to 12 hours. With marketing adds like “Remember, effective relief just takes two” Purdue Pharma convinced doctors that it was virtually impossible to become addicted (HARRIET RYAN, 2016). The rise of OxyContin started in 1996. OxyContin
To understand how fentanyl has become so prevalent recently, we must look back at the cause of this opioid epidemic. Opioids were once a niche drug, but in the mid 90s OxyContin was released by the manufacturer, Purdue Pharma LP. Purdue advertised this drug to doctors by saying that the risk of addiction from opioids was overstated and that OxyContin
When concerned with the ethics of development in a global environment, the issue of drug abuse is of particular importance. All of the different aspects of the drug trade impact a nation, and specifically the development of a nation within a global environment. Within the United States, drug abuse has been prevalent among specific populations in society for almost a half of a century now. Historically speaking, drug abuse has erupted in many directions; new drugs have offered new markets, new trends have developed new habits. These patterns have become societal concerns on many levels. The creation of new drugs has added another dimension to prescriptive drug abuse. Though science is making
In the article, “Don’t blame addicts for America’s opioid crisis. Here are the real culprits” by Chris McGreal, America’s widespread opioid problem is discussed. Primarily, McGreal points the finger at multiple sources such as the FDA, pharmaceutical companies, and the government for aggravating the opioid problem. According to the author, “America’s opioid crisis was caused by rapacious pharma companies, politicians who colluded with them and regulators who approved one opioid pill after another” (McGreal). However, McGreal believes that there are multiple causes for the deadly opioid epidemic that exists today. Next, McGreal states that money is one of the main reasons for the epidemic of opioids. The author asserts that patients are given
Despite common knowledge that with extended use, opioids result in tolerance and addiction; the healthcare community quickly adopted the practice. At the same time, patient advocacy and pain management groups lobbied to loosen opioid prescribing restrictions (Manchikanti et al.). Concurrently, an initiative to identify pain as “the 5th vital sign” immerged to stronger prioritize pain management (Alexander, Kruszewski, & Webster, 2012). Spurred initially by an American pain organization, later found to be funded by the pharmaceutical manufacturer of OxyContin, this initiative was also quickly adopted by the medical community, and other medical and government organizations. Medical practitioners became the target for big pharma’s marketing strategies to further their profits, and they fell prey. Opioid medications are now commonplace in medicine cabinets across the U.S., benefiting the pharmaceutical companies to the tune of 10 billion dollars
In February of this year, OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma announced that it would no longer be marketing its painkillers to doctors. The company alerted its employees that it will get rid of half of its sales force and send a letter to doctors this week notifying them that salespeople will no longer be going to clinics to market their opioid products. The opioid crisis began with the release of
“In Massachusetts, there were 1,379 confirmed deaths from opioid-related overdoses last year — and the number of overdoses rose 41 percent from 2013 to 2014.”(Beth Warren, 6) “Overdoses of powerful prescription painkillers and heroin, have killed almost 250,000 Americans since 2000.”(Peter Catel, Pa.1, S.1) With opioid related deaths increasing every year more regulations should be laid out to help prevent large amounts of the opium on the streets. All this opium poses a threat to sanitary conditions around the U.S. by dirty needles, pipes, and a common light bulb can be seen as biohazard.
The history of opioids in America provides a reoccurring theme riddled with misuse, abuse, and addiction. One could even go as far as to call it a timeless theme, as the same problems that affected the past still stand steadfast today. It all started in 1806 with the isolation of Morphine by chemist Friedrich Sertürner (Acock, 1993). Soon after its creation, this analgesic opiate became the primary treatment in the United States for various medical ailments including pain, anxiety, and respiratory problems (Acock, 1993). Acock (1993) reveals that opioids were widely used during the Civil War, with numbers reaching up to ten million opioid pills for the Union Army alone. Morphine was essentially the cure-all on the battlefield. The result
There is an epidemic plaguing our nation, a plague that does not discriminate between young, or old, rich or poor, the plague is the addiction to Oxycontin. A prescription narcotic first introduced 1996 by the Purdue Pharmaceutical Company ("The Promotion and Marketing of Oxycontin: Commercial Triumph, Public Health Tragedy). The drug Oxycontin was quickly marketed, and aggressively promoted. The pharmaceutical corporation in 1996 made $48 million dollars and in the year 2000 that sum was about 1.1 billion dollars ("The Promotion and Marketing of Oxycontin: Commercial Triumph, Public Health Tragedy). The miracle medication was intended for cancer patients whose pain level was not controlled with regular opioid medications ("The Promotion
Conspiracy theory should be considered as an entertainer. In my conspiracy theory “What do you think with Maggie and Bob,” I created a conspiracy theory on how UCI was built by the Aliens. This theory might sound crazy, but there are evidence that proves this theory can be supported. My targeting audience are the students in University of California, Irvine (UCI), and the main purpose of this conspiracy theory is not to serve as an entertainer, but also to point out the uniqueness of this beautiful campus that the students might not notice