Date of Award
2022
Document Type
Senior Scholars Paper
Department
Colby College. Science, Technology and Society Dept.
Advisor(s)
Ashton Wesner
Second Advisor
Gail Carlson
Abstract
The past two and a half decades have witnessed widespread suffering, addiction, and death at the hands of the opioid crisis. This paper analyzes the crisis through a series of time periods, broken down into “waves.” Drawing upon primary material in relation to OxyContin advertisements in the 1990’s, this research takes aim at the origin of widespread opioid abuse disorder. By building upon analysis done on the Sackler Family, Purdue Pharma, heroin abuse, fentanyl overdoses, the COVID-19 pandemic and opioids and addiction in modern pop culture, this thesis shows how despite constant change in public policy, the opioid crisis continues to worsen year over year.
Keywords
Opioids, Addiction, Crisis, Fentanyl
Recommended Citation
Santoro, Ryan B., "Three Waves: The United States Opioid Crisis" (2022). Senior Scholars Papers in Science, Technology, and Society. Paper 1.https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/sts_senior/1