Recovering addict speaks out about $8.3 billion Purdue Pharma settlement

LUBBOCK, Texas — On Wednesday, the Department of Justice announced they had reached a settlement with Purdue Pharma for $8.3 billion in penalties.

The company, known for creating the highly addictive drug Oxycontin, among others, is known for perpetuating the current opioid epidemic, which has led to over 400,000 deaths in America over the past two decades.

However, considering Purdue Pharma filed for bankruptcy last month, this amount is largely symbolic. It is unlikely company executives will pay the full amount. In a news conference with several national leaders this week, many said the penalty is not enough.

“Justice was not served for the families who have lost loved ones and who’ve experienced such devastation,” said Maura Healey, Massachusetts Attorney General. “No one’s going to jail. No one’s going to prison. And worse yet, they’ve set up a situation where Purdue is going to be able to continue on.”

Melissa Silva is the program director at Stages of Recovery and a recovering addict herself. She’s just one of the thousands that have been impacted by the opioid epidemic. Silva said the settlement would never be enough to make up for the lives lost.

“I don’t ever think it’s going to be an adequate amount,” said Silva. “I mean, there are people who lost their lives. Some people are still feeling the effects of oxycontin, I don’t think there will ever be a sufficient amount of money that will ever give people their lives back.”

Read the full article published on everythinglubbock.com on October 22, 2020.