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History is often a tale of unintended consequences,

the rise of the mob in America as a consequence of prohibition.

World War II as a consequence of punitive sanctions against Germany from World War I.

On another one of my show's American scandal,

I tell the story of more and tragic unintended consequences

which too many Americans are still living with.

Sold by Purdue Pharma,

OxyContin was supposed to offer a revolution in medicine,

providing new lives to patients suffering from chronic and debilitating pain.

Purdue claimed that their drug was less addictive than other opioids,

and just five years after its launch,

OxyContin became the best-selling painkiller in the United States.

But despite the company's claims,

OxyContin would prove to be very addictive,

and as opioid abuse began ravaging communities across America,

citizens, journalists, and prosecutors launched a campaign that would ultimately lead

to a multi-billion dollar legal action,

and tighter controls on the availability of OxyContin.

But thousands of Americans were already addicted,

...