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Empire Files: Pharmaceutical Companies Played a Key Role in Sparking the Opioid Crisis

A new phenomenon has emerged in the United States.

A new phenomenon has emerged in the United States: 64,000 people died in 2016 of a drug overdose — with 80 percent from opioids — with levels of addiction nearly 500 percent higher over the last six years. Behind this epidemic is a multibillion dollar industry, that feeds drug manufacturing giants, distributers and more. With the US government failing to address the crisis, one law firm has taken to a massive lawsuit. Head of that case is Mike Papantonio, who also won major lawsuits against big tobacco, chemical corporations and more. Abby Martin interviews him about this new suit, and why he is pushing for many executives to go to jail.

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