Opioids III: The Sacklers: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

[@billyweed835]

Every time John Oliver buys a website, an angel gets its wings.

[@parnelpospahala6087]

Brilliant!

[@danielsander9997]

Because you're on the wrong team you fool

[@TYCOIX]

@@danielsander9997 what

[@bubblybubbles7372]

This is real life canon for me. 🤣

[@deanchampion6777]

OMG - that is SOOOOOO appropriate... cinematically... I don't believe in angels.... but you are 100%.

[@ladyivyanna9612]

"Why are my friends telling me that our family's work is killing people?" Because it is, sweetie. It is.

[@dotapark]

What was even a point of made up this story honestly? They really thought people really got sympathy from calling murderer a murderer? 🙁

[@HowToChangeName]

Thats like asking a girl why her mother sleeps with his father, you know its vaguely true and you know why is that

[@meeshermans297]

Let's just let the fact they chose *four-year-olds* for this sink in. Did they honestly think anyone would believe that a bunch of toddlers barely old enough to count to ten would know about the opioid crisis and the Sacklers being responsible?

[@TurbopropPuppy]

@@vardekpetrovic9716 [citation needed]

[@EebstertheGreat]

@@meeshermans297 That part of the story isn't so implausible. Some of the parents at the preschool were talking about the Sacklers, since they knew the little girl was at their school, a kid asked them about it, remembered "Sacklers = killers" and not much else, and then spread the story around at school. I could believe that.

[@LookAtKristian]

I rally behind this man and his team on their crusade against uncontrolled, intentionally or negligently evil and unresponsible corporatism and the system that enables it. Love your show and your stand on these topics. Keep going!

[@naypstpst8855]

@@cerebralslime5677 Are you serious right now? How tf do you think these people got addicted in the first place! When they can’t afford prescription pills they turn to heroin/fentanyl. Jesus

[@cerebralslime5677]

@@naypstpst8855 what evidence do you have to support that claim

[@towlie337]

@@cerebralslime5677 I would say the same evidence you presented.

[@davidpeppers551]

@@naypstpst8855 Not only that......."easy scapegoat" The billionaires? Really? The one blaming the relatively powerless persons who are hooked seems to have picked the easy scapegoat. Unfortunately, there are those with the circular logic. Good and competent people rise to the top and own large companies. If they own a large company they are good people. So of course some one else is to blame.

[@NickRamone0]

He's the only part of member of the media whose work causes real life, tangible results. Really awesome.

[@RealStuntPanda]

Imagine if you rob a bank, you steal $100,000, you get busted, but you only have to return $10 and you never go to jail. That's the equivalent of the Purdue settlement.

[@shante87]

And you killed 500.000 people during the robbery

[@markcross3492]

actually 100's of times more criminal than that

[@Thestaalos]

Imagine you kill half a million people and ruin the lives of millions more. And you dont get a life sentence. America is completely rotten.

[@kevinsmithfan37]

Na, it's more like they have to pay back 10k, but they only have to pay back 1k a year and all the while they are making 3-6% interest on that 100k. Meaning worst case 3% they make 35k in interest over the 10 years. In other words they increased there net worth by 25k instead of 35k...wow, they really got punished.

[@Celestial_Reach]

You forgot the part where your lawyers convinced the judge to throw all the people in the bank you hurt in prison.

[@Briaaanz]

I'm a registered nurse. I have seen the tactics these Pharma companies used to push opioids. I worked ER for 13 years and saw how the opioid epidemic affected individuals and societies. The amount of disgust I felt at the Sackler family's "deal" far exceeded that of all the bedpans I've emptied in over 20 years of nursing. Thank you for covering this story and spreading the word about it. I just wish we could have justice

[@christiandauz3742]

If only we know the locations of every Sackler Behead them and give their money to the poor

[@aurorathekitty7854]

Thank you for your service to the public. I have a herniated l5 with spinal stenosis and I've been on opioids a lil over a year and just had emergency surgery done last week. I'm in alot less pain than usual now and I know for sure I'm addicted. I started the process of weaning myself off. I can see how this could be a very big problem if I actually liked how they make me feel but I don't like the feeling at all. If insurance would of covered medical marijuana I would of never touched the pain pills in the first place. I can very well see how someone can get addicted very easily off these things

[@flyingcheff]

Justice in court (fees, rich lawyers, "programs" that are only punitive, etc), or for the actual victims: real care and less finger pointing and judgement of people- many who followed their Dr's advice/prescriptions, etc. I bet you've seen it all, it would be great if medical personnel would speak up for the patients and victims once in a while. Yelling at the Sacklers is getting old.

[@flyingcheff]

@@aurorathekitty7854 They (big pharma) were counting on it!

[@ciramecreations]

@@flyingcheff now let's tell everyone to get a shot.

[@misterx6490]

"It's not my fault that pedestrian died when my car hit him. It's my car's fault" - Every. Sackler. Ever.

[@DreadX10]

Excellent comment!

[@OmniGundam777]

This is how car companies avoided regulation. Except they blamed the pedestrians, and invented jaywalking.

[@joshuacox534]

also every gun control advocate. you don't blame the car company or distilleries for drunk drivers

[@joshuacox534]

@@christinalaw3375 it's not both because the state is controlled by capitalists. the impetus of the corruption comes from market forces controlling things. the solution is to end capitalism.

[@temperededge]

@@christinalaw3375 Well.... (Jean Jacques Rousseau)

[@tcu1099]

I lost my sister to an opioid overdose. Everyone in my high school started on Oxy before getting into heroin. Some made it out and some did not. It's so hard to let go when these demons continue to rake in billions off misery.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Of course it's difficult to 'let it go'. No human deserves to be extorted and abused in this manner. Especially not merely for 'money' (whatever that really means when we get right down to it). However, this is *PRECISELY* what humans do--all the time. They abuse one another in order to 'become rich'. Unfortunately, they have a distorted viewpoint on the word. Becoming rich has nothing to do with money. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨

[@elizabethbennet4791]

Why did they do oxy?

[@horace6851]

@@elizabethbennet4791 I got prescribed opioid after tooth extraction. I didn't even hurt enough to take Tylenol.

[@elizabethbennet4791]

Of course it's hard to take and to move on.

[@elizabethbennet4791]

OMG this is my same story!! I got a prescription vicodin from a NYU dental school extraction and I never had the slightest pain, I only took one Advil before the local wore off lol

[@shadowdawnl6930]

This episode hit me hard. Lost my mother to the opioid crisis before anyone was actually talking about it openly. I miss her so much. If I had money to throw around like the Sattlers, everyone would know her beautiful face and her struggles. And how she was lost. Thank you John Oliver

[@tberman2386]

@shadowdawnl6930 Sorry about your Mother! Know this, with all of the people the Shitlers screwed over, there will be a reckoning. This is America where we have the old West Tradition of an eye for an eye. Some of them will find Frontier Justice eventually. Also, they will find good ole' kharma for sitting on that pile of blood money. Look at the Madoffs, Epstein, Weinstein, etc.

[@tymera]

Thank you for telling your story.

[@danielramsey6141]

I know how you feel. I lost an Aunt, who died in her sleep from taking this drug!

[@Pinkclouds512]

This was a really sweet comment to read. I’d love to hear more about her!! My mom is also a victim of the opioid crisis. These people are actually evil.

[@colorbugoriginals4457]

hey, been a year, hope you are keeping your head up ❤

[@tiffanykaseman160]

To John Oliver and the research/production staff of Last Week Tonight: thank you for your opioid segments. I am on the board for a local recovery club (Oasis Community Recovery Club, Shamokin, PA) and your informative segments are the hope we cling to that the public can see this particular pandemic as a social and health crisis where there needs to be meaningful responsibility taken for the destruction of a generation. Sorry to be so heavy in a KZbin comment, but I’m truly thankful!

[@AdamWestish]

People deserve to know the names and faces of the jerks that did this murderous crime

[@deelish22]

Agreed! Explaining the causes and effects of addiction to common people is exhausting. That's why we need John Oliver to do a three-part (hopefully more) show about the opioid criss.

[@AdamWestish]

@@deelish22 I thought one of the most offensive things about the orange clown's presidency was his repeated statement that he'd "solved pharmaceuticals" (abuse? costs?) -neither!

[@artvandelay6306]

I'm from Carbon County (not far from Shamokin); the whole coal region is awash with heroin, prescription drugs, and fentanyl. It's been raging for over a decade, now, at this point, with no signs of slowing.

[@tiffanykaseman160]

@@artvandelay6306 1. Love the handle 2. I love visiting Carbon County, great state parks up there, most important 3. I have know many people who were part of Dr. Kraynak’s deadly cycle, and it hit every surrounding county, which is very sad. You are right there is no slowing right now. Our biggest mission right now is to try and bust stigma, which I am sure is a problem up your way too.

[@razz1166]

Amazing that a young (generally) black man can be imprisoned for his entire working life for selling drugs (including the super-dangerous, class 1 drug pot) while this family will never spend one day behind bars for dealing actual dangerous drugs at a scale beyond what the biggest cartel ever has managed. #notajusticesystem

[@FriedPotatoFarmer]

How many congressional campaigns has that street level drug dealer financed? I'm pretty sure there's a direct relationship

[@maryea9585]

yep. yet another example of the two-tiered criminal justice system working its magic here in the US. the whole notion of crime itself is nothing more than a social construct when you see all the crimes against humanity committed by corporations, both historically and up to this very day. Du Pont poisoned us with C8, the stuff that's in Teflon. 99% of the world has detectable levels of C8 in their blood, thanks to those pieces of shit dumping it into our drinking water, even though they knew in the 1950's that it was fucking toxic. 3M poisoned us with PFAS, the stuff that's in Scotch-Guard, and carpets, and cosmetic products that millions of people use every day, and a ton of other products. Monsanto poisoned us with Roundup. Union Carbide allowed an entire factory in Bhopal, India to get so bad that it exploded, killing tens of thousands of people. they all knew that these things were bad, just like Purdue knew Oxycontin was basically a synthetic version of heroin. they knew, they didn't care, they colluded with our regulatory agencies to get their shitty, shitty products approved, and even after it became painfully clear that the shit was killing us, it still took years and sometimes decades for literally anything to be done about them ... and the end result is always the same, the assholes who made the decisions get off. its seriously disgusting.

[@hillarymatchen648]

Actually pot got moved to class 2 with Cocain due to the fact that it helps with seizures.

[@bboo1688]

You can steal more money with a pen than with a gun - misquoted Godfather quote.

[@bobfg3130]

This family...did it legally. That's the main issue.

[@KrazyKaiser]

"This is the best we can do under the current system" absolutely sounds like a call for a new system.

[@lisarenner5594]

Then let's take it to the streets and change things. All the victims and their families need and should be heard. Not to mention we out number them. Just saying

[@TheeMontz]

"While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”" Mathew 24 Not the first time someone asks for a new system.

[@Dreigonix]

More proof that anyone who says John Oliver is a neolib does not know what they’re talking about.

[@Ricklyplinth]

@@Dreigonix yeah he's definitely a demsoc at the least, maybe crypto-socialist even. I think he does good work.

[@penname8441]

+

[@1cioda]

I just googled "judge for yourselves" with no clarifying properties. Just those 3 words. And Johns site was the first result. Thank the freaking lord.

[@HobbesHobbiton]

So let me get this straight- smoking pot can land you _decades_ in prison but enabling mass murder will result in *zero* consequences? Now that's American Justice™!

[@Marijuanifornia]

In 1942, the United States of America legalized "Marihuana" to fight the Axis of Evil. There's an old WWII film titled *Hemp For Victory* made by the US Department of Agriculture that encourages Americans to grow Cannabis Sativa for our national defense. The license to grow hemp that is shown in the video reads, "Producer of Marihuana." This was just five years after "Marihuana" was outlawed as the most dangerous drug on Earth.

[@KBTadieh]

@@Marijuanifornia FALSE BS NONSENSE 🙄🙄🙄

[@zaidshah4535]

There’s the two tier justice system for you

[@Marijuanifornia]

@@KBTadieh There is an official government link to the video from the US National Archives.

[@spencerschubert5001]

@@Marijuanifornia it was later criminalized by the Nixon administration along with substances that were commonly used by blacks and poor Americans so they could lock them up and disenfranchise them as part of the GOP southern strategy

[@hosseynshanbehzaadeh9342]

It actually feels very nice to watch at least a part of your show fresh and warm from the oven, in a country in which we can't have access to HBO and similar cable networks. Supermassive love from Iran.

[@brianmcmanus4690]

Greetings! ...from Portland, OR.

[@therealzilch]

Likewise. Best wishes to all of you in Iran. Cheers from cloudy Austria, Scott

[@morrisal]

Greetings from Hungary

[@surveyorsairinc2166]

until he starts talking crap about your nation and making fun of it.

[@Aannishiaa]

Sending you warmth from Florida, ❣️.

[@christinaify]

Over two decades ago, I remember my mother, who will be on pain medication for the rest of her life because of a car accident, telling her doctor there was "something wrong" with Oxycontin. Telling him she wanted more than she needed and was seeking it from illegal sources and her doctor *literally* laughing her off. "It's non-habit forming", "That's not what this is", "it's you, not the drug". She changed medications despite his disapproval.

[@Coloss1.23]

I hope she changed doctors too.

[@TwoMarshmallows1]

Good on your mother for sticking to what she knew was right. Doctors dismiss female and minority patients all the time, leading patients to provide their own medical care. Wishing her all the goodness and blessings in life.

[@christinaify]

@@TwoMarshmallows1 What's scary is he didn't think he was lying. He was parroting what a drug rep had told him instead of actually looking into the medication himself which, to be fair, most doctors did. My mom was lucky but how many doctors gave this out like candy when they were told it was the miracle drug for chronic pain patients?

[@TwoMarshmallows1]

@@christinaify Oh wow, I didn't even think of that. That's just vile. The father of a friend of mine is a doctor (and an amazing one). He's always said he never believes what the pharmaceutical reps tell him. He always researches the medication and gives the patient what he believes is best. It's frightening how few doctors do this. So many people should just not be in health care.

[@christinaify]

@@TwoMarshmallows1 Good on your friend's dad! Doctors are so busy I really can't blame them when they don't look into new medications. And 20 years ago, they didn't have much cause to doubt the pharm reps. They really had been turning out some life altering medications at the time like new treatments for AIDS, cancer, suddenly they had options for patients with depression, not to mention the infamous Viagra lol It really had been a decade of life-changing, legit medications. It's like the companies took advantage of that good reputation it had built to do something...yeah, vile. Just like you said.

[@laurenalbrecht5949]

"How many billions is it right for you to keep?" Excellent. Just excellent. Thank you John, this is one of the best I've ever seen you do.

[@whuwhaaa2]

"Billionaire goes to space and dies there" lmao, John Oliver said the quiet part out loud, love it.

[@zunlise2341]

Billionaire shoots himself . . . into space

[@MollyAhern]

maybe next episode he'll finally say the C word (c*pital*sm)

[@alynames7171]

@roughly 60,000 bees It really seems like he and the writers want to. Do they have to keep that contained since, ya know, product of corporate media? Or is it basically just outrage porn to keep the masses sated without engendering any actual change? I really have a hard time telling one way or the other.

[@stevencooke6451]

Many of us were hoping to hear the phrase "horrible explosion" when at least one of the three prince prick of all pricks went up in space.

[@SomebodysNephew]

Which one was it a jab at? Or just the few active in the space game?

[@Giganfan2k1]

I was 16 when I was diagnosed with AS. I found out in my early 20s my pain tolerance and unwillingness to "take a pill every day" probably saved me from being an addict later in life. It still fucks with my mind.

[@diegomontoya8095]

I had hernia surgery in 2015. I took 9 of the 300 percocet the dr. prescribed. Garbage pusher boat payment quack doctor.

[@treebeard8475]

@@diegomontoya8095 absolutely. Got my wisdom teeth out young. they gave me more Vicodin than Andre the giant could consume.

[@kikilo9647]

@@treebeard8475 Why do they prescribe that?? I got a my wisdom teeth removed, two of them were horizontal and just got a local anestetic and ibuprofen. Yes i was in pain but at least i didnt get my life turn apart.

[@shrimp19921]

@@diegomontoya8095 tons of people take opioids and don’t become addicted. It’s not as simple as you make it out to be. Some people need the stuff, and hospitals being funded largely on patient satisfaction is another reason they are heavily incentivized to keep people pain free.

[@_aryyy]

@@kikilo9647 i got all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed at once and was in a lot of pain so my surgeon prescribed me 3 days worth of Vicodin. I never got addicted to the stuff and was just fine taking Ibuprofen for the next couple of days afterwards. It's not a death sentence for everyone.

[@edinfific2576]

You kill ONE person, either intentionally or unintentionally, whether by accident, through negligence, carelessness or cold-blooded calculation, and you get to spend at least a few years, if not life, in prison, somewhere you get the death penalty. You kill HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS for profit, and nobody gets prison time. It's called BUSINESS.

[@FranFerioli]

"The death of one man: this is a catastrophe. Hundreds of thousands of deaths: that is a statistic!" - Incorrectly attributed to Josef Stalin.

[@Technizor]

Well duh, they just classified all of the deaths as "enemy combatants".

[@beth-bi9yv]

So true. It's disgusting.

[@michaelduncan3261]

@@FranFerioli Josef Bai Stalin with the slammers!!!

[@roxanaerazo9454]

it's also called capitalism

[@seanaugagnon6383]

Thank you... Opiates took everything from me. I was 24 with a good job and had everything. Then I tried oxycontin and within 3 years I lost everything. Homeless. I turned to crime to support my habit at age 30. Up to that point I had a single speeding ticket. For almost ten years opiates controlled me. I was unable to stop. I came into life with privilege and lost everything. My life is forever scarred. The feeling of shame and guilt is overwhelming. Sometimes I wish I would just die and I'm sober, not homeless and not a criminal anymore. The wound it has inflicted will not heal. Ever. I cry everyday and don't understand why. It has sapped the happiness, hope and will to live from me. I thought getting sober would take away the pain. It hasn't.

[@taviaseymour1635]

Sean, that’s really brave to share. You’ve been through a major trauma, so genuinely probably need counselling and support to help you work through it. I personally also believe Jesus helps with healing, if you are open to him. I hope things get better for you and you get a good community of people around you.

[@Truth5eeker33]

Check out the book “the power of now” . You might find some comfort and peace in spiritual awakening. 🙏

[@laurdesz9050]

I've been there. I'm not and wasn't ever an addict, but there was a point in my life i was seriously depressed. A good therapist and a good support network can seriously help, and finding something to live for is just as important. Doesn't matter if it's a skill you want to learn, a book you want to read, or something you want to accomplish. Just finding one, good thing that makes you feel, if not happy, then at least accomplished, can quite literally be a lifesaver. I also seriously recommend cognitive behavioral therapy with a therapist that specializes in working with people who've struggled with addiction, if the cost is why you can't go, there are a lot of non-for-profits out there that do free online counseling for different groups of people, be it teens, queer folk, domestic abuse survivors, or current and ex addicts. And hey, even if opiods controlled your life for a decade, you survived, and you made it out of the cycle. That's something to be proud of. I'm wishing you the best, and I really hope things get better for you.

[@michellezoe4596]

Sean, you're not alone! Matter of fact i had the same record as you (well, 2 speeding tickets) and similar family background. Then severe back pain started and i ended up with a nasty addiction that lasted over 10 yrs. Now clean over 4 yrs and still picking up the pieces. Family doesn't understand these sorts of problems so i can't turn to them. We certainly are not close at all anymore and alot of it has to do with the fact that I alienated myself from them for so long. They're not dumb and I suspect they had an idea what was going on, since I continuously lost jobs and moved around several times each year. Now i have some stupid crap on my record and it angers me that i threw it all away over pills. Only thing i can do to keep going is be happy i made it out alive and never overdosed. And i do have a circle of friends now who I have for support which is truly wonderful. I wish you luck and hope you find happiness!

[@AnitaRecount]

Please reach out to support groups and to mental health and behavioral health professionals. Your life matters and what happened to you was not your fault.

[@crazycutz8072]

Sell Marijuana to one person = goes to jail for 20 years Sackler: hold my medicine - sells opium to a whole generation = pays a fine

[@ahadumer418]

That is not remotely accurate about the marijuana at most you go to jail for three years for selling marijuana

[@too2great8]

@@ahadumer418 Your statement isn't exactly accurate. It depends on a few factors...namely one's ethnicity.

[@cl8804]

May DOG bless these United Sh*tholes Of America - land of the fee and home of the $lave!

[@recklart8592]

@@ahadumer418 marijuana amounts greater than one ounce can net you a felony equivalent to selling crack in some states. The maximum can be a life sentence, which could end up anywhere from 5-25 years depending on the judge.

[@jeanf6295]

@@ahadumer418 it is five years for a first offence and less than 50kg, more if you sell to a minor, and if it is a repeated offence mandatory minimums gets triggered and the maximum sentence goes even higher, and if the prosecutor feel like it, other charges can be raised to increase the final sentence. Ten years is not the most common outcome, but it can happen, and by comparison with what the Sackler family did, five years is still a joke.

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

I feel like the Sacklers are one of those families that are so rich, that you were never even supposed to hear about them in the first place, they messed up tho

[@deltav864]

Well you are supposed to know their name, just not what they look like... because these families sure like to jizz their names on museum wings and other community buildings & projects. Which sucks, because if they had just paid their fair share of taxes you could build a museum on every street corner.

[@maxarendorff6521]

Most of the super rich don't like to see their name in the media because it could make the peasants aware of how unequal the wealth is distributed in this system of ours.

[@CassiopeiaOnYT]

@@maxarendorff6521 another reason is that if the middle to lower class people suddenly has the power to overthrow them, they will tend to target those they already know by name.

[@fabiansanchez10000]

Jesus what part of KZbin am I not going to find you

[@cavemanvi]

HEY STEPHEN HOW WAS OBAMAS PARTY?

[@JustinGoode]

Sacklers: "it's so sad that people think we're horrible people" Families of victim: "damn, I kinda don't care"

[@humanoid251]

Me @ The Sacklers: aww boo hoo, let me press F on the world’s smallest keyboard

[@viktorbirkeland6520]

@@humanoid251 me @ you: "Hey, I saw you across the bar, and I thought you were cute.. do you want to talk? I know you're a guy, and most guys are insecure about this and get offended, but I feel like we have a connection... what do you say, hot stuff?"

[@1993httphil]

@Mike Goldsberry Did the Sacklers throw some money at Bot-companies now to try and repair their broken image? Pathetic.

[@trumpisaconfirmedcuck5840]

I'm a family member of a heroin overdose victim. I think the Sacklers aren't guilty. I think who is really guilty are the "well meaning" idiots who keep us from painkillers. My brother was going to use heroin no matter what. He was arrested for drug related offense more than a dozen times and never once attempted to get clean. He did this for 20 years before ODing. Meanwhile I get infantilized and have to beg for 12 vicodins because of two broken ribs. Total fucking BULLSHIT. We should be able to keep that stuff in our medicine cabinets if we want. I've never been addicted and won't be. But I get treated like a child even though I'm 41 years old by doctors.

[@1993httphil]

@@trumpisaconfirmedcuck5840 You don't need painkillers from the opiod family to treat broken ribs... like seriously. Oo

[@tonywebb1403]

I know of 4 people in my graduating class in high school who overdosed on oxytocin in less than 5 years after graduation and at least a third of us have battled addiction my uncle's generation who is thirteen years older than me are all under achievers I can't express in text the damage opiods has done to me my family and the tiny community in Appalachia I grew up in

[@mammawlee]

And so many of our people have gone on to get addicted to meth because they were no longer able to obtain oxygen. Addiction changes one's brain chemistry 🧠 🧠 🧠 🧠 🧠

[@kellietaylor9913]

Upstate NY my 30 year old daughter land my son 32 lost so many friends to this

[@ashe1317]

that ending was absolutely fucking savage. absolutely no one on the internet trolls for justice like John Oliver

[@moo639]

@@jakobbauz A brilliant actor named Richard Kind.

[@ghostpenguins3]

@@moo639 he is grand. I always remember George Clooney's prank on him, and his cat I suppose.

[@ChrisLeeW00]

Linguist here. Can confirm: not even my children are intimidated by me.

[@nyx6937]

Noam Chomsky should have considered that before he ventured into politics lol

[@nathanmesnard4058]

my only regret is that my "like" to this comment is marked by my progeny obstreperously hollering and gesticulating wildly, whilst watching competitive Overwatch. I learned one of these words from The Goblin Market poem. Your welcome.

[@evocatimedia]

People tend to be intimidated when you write. About what? About THEM. It’s not your job title, it’s your works.

[@Dreyno]

Shut it, Wordy! 😬

[@DrTranofEvil]

I’m a cunning linguist. Women love me. 🙄

[@rini6]

John Oliver has cojones. Wow. I love the way he is full out going for this horrible family and trying to get as much accountability as humanly possible in this corrupt system. Kudos.

[@mycoinsyourpurse2244]

Purdue has plenty of critics. As they should.

[@ladywheatfield4630]

Yeah, big ones after they've already lost multiple lawsuits and there is a mini series on Hulu coming out on the Sacklers. Way ahead of the curve 🙄

[@WaffleEBay12]

Ya, he talked about them in April of 2019 last calling them out, but now he took it to another level. I hope the Sackler's don't try a pointless SLAP suit to try to shut John and his crew up.

[@rini6]

@@mycoinsyourpurse2244 They do. But John is particularly agressive. I think he’s great.

[@SAN_DI]

I love you guys at LWT so much, I think enough cannot be said about the great public service you are providing and the level of intellect you do it with. Please don't ever, ever change. The world needs you desperately right now ❤️❤️

[@comicknightzero]

"No one is intimidated by a linguist. You're basically an English Major who wasted more time" Dang, John's savagery knows no bounds

[@sharonmullins1957]

That is why I love him!!!!!!!!

[@ryankerr2996]

Even funnier knowing that John Oliver was an English major

[@sigsin1]

The thing is, linguistics is not what most people think. It is a science. I was a linguistics major and a math minor and what I always thought was that you use the same part of your brain to study linguistics as you do to study calculus. It’s one of those things that you just don’t understand until one day, if you’re lucky, the light comes on and you get it now. The same happened with me and calculus. So no, the study of linguistics is nothing like studying English but John wanted to humiliate the woman, so….

[@harvest4hu]

I know, as a linguist this line made me laugh and cry at the same time 🤣. Although most branches of linguistics and English major don't really have near as much overlap as people think

[@theredwhirlwin]

I love what he does too but he should have gone harder on all of them; these people are Disgusting.

[@melbell0865]

I don’t know what’s more horrifying: the fact that this is all true, or that I’m not even surprised by their actions.

[@dr.zombiex]

That part.

[@cathithomas2888]

Sad, ain’t it?!?

[@1Outis1]

It is horrifying, but it could get worse. I wouldn't be surprised if someone who is being silenced tries to kill a bunch of Sacklers. Honestly, I would blame them for it either.

[@adorable3817]

Or....that it's all LEGAL!!!!!!!! 😳

[@SomeGirlSomewhere]

Dunno why but made me think of back in college sociology class. TAUGHT about dead peasants funds. I think maybe the Movie- Capitalism a love story talked about too. How Corporations take out life insurance on low level employees like walmart greater. They die company gets millions family nothing. And they have death projections anually all these major companies. Sickening what they get away with.

[@heatherrockwell9012]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the graphics department that makes the thumbnail images for these stories? I feel like they've been really nailing them lately, especially this week!

[@WiseSageBum]

I know! They're fantastic!

[@CptSpears007]

Do you work in the graphics department by any chance. You can’t see me but I’m doing those suspicious eyes thingy

[@jacobdavid9796]

Ok

[@rhettcujo9006]

Absolutely I was thinking I want a poster of that or I need that image to place on my ig story

[@driftingdruid]

they've been top-notch all season

[@paul..6018]

Who in the hell is this guy? Talent like that is very rare, and John Oliver, thank you. It's not just me but many people are grateful for helping us get through covid-19 and all the crazy things that have been happening since.

[@MerekEshtar]

I love how this man speaks what every oppressed and wronged child, woman and man wants to say without fear of corporate anger and frivolous letigation, this is how the media should work, speaking the truth , maintaining integrity and raising awareness when a bunch of hyenas that bribed the system are threatening the basic civil and human rights

[@brandongutleben2222]

Gloriously well said my friend

[@smbsuperfan271]

It’s cause he’s one of the only talk show hosts left that remembers how to do actual journalism. The rest rely on running gags and interviews with celebs, he actually manages to competent journalism and keep it entertaining the whole time. Jon Steward would be proud.

[@bashojanggoon2167]

I feel like John Oliver carries the torch of John Stewart’s Daily Show moreso than Trevor Noah

[@WilliamRWarrenJr]

Speak truth to authority. It's scary as HELL. But it's the TRUTH! It will eventually win! FIND YOUR VOICE!! (MAGA morons: siddown and shut up: we're discussing "truth" here, a concept you are blissfully unaware of.)

[@kurier1595]

I absolutely agree, I take journalism classes and only my amazing teacher, after 17 years of living, made me realize what journalism should be and it's just that, and I'll be damned if I'm not impressed by people like this

[@capt_bry]

Dear John Oliver and LastWeek Tonight team: Thank you so much for professionally trolling the trash of our society and providing the publicity needed for important and ignored social problems.

[@RaysNewLife]

i would think actual enforcement of laws would do a lot more then more nonprofits..

[@flyingcheff]

This issue is far from ignored. The other issue relating to this that IS being ignored is that the DEA is in it to make $ too. Expose that John! I dare you.

[@estefaniaj7143]

@@flyingcheff he won’t

[@flyingcheff]

@@estefaniaj7143 Yeah, you're right.

[@nicoj9984]

When it comes to political contributions, corporations are "associations of individuals" (Citizens United v. FEC) and therefore enjoy the same First Amendment rights as the individuals themselfes, enabling them to donate money as a form of free speech. When it comes to criminal prosecution, corporations seem to be completely separate enteties entirely detached from the people owning/running it, shielding them from any responsibilities for crimes 'the company' commited. Something doesn't add up here... (edit: fixed some typos)

[@mongmanmarkyt2897]

the word you're looking for is "corporations" not "cooperations"

[@johndododoe1411]

@Tom Simons ᨆ That's allegedly a rickroll wrapped in a bad cat video, now go away and spam somewhere else.

[@chazdomingo475]

It's almost like the legal system is corrupted by corporate influence, isn't it?

[@JS-tl7jp]

Corporation, not cooperation.

[@DHxJarsyl]

...You realize that is the entire point of the modern versions of corporations, right? They are legal loopholes, specifically created to allow people to break the law. It started when the US government realized we would have to do really, really crappy things if we wanted to build the railroads, so they created the modern corporation to shield railroad developers from prosecution. At the time, they only existed for a specific time frame, for a specific project...but as time went on more and more owners of businesses said "I want me some of this unlimited power" and the amount and length of corporations skyrocketed.

[@Dbswrath]

I love you John Oliver and your team, for your care you put into this. I was prescribed opiates for 10 years, and immediately cut off by the doctor one day for no reason. He just said I can't give them too you anymore. Needless too say, at the time I was oblivious to what addiction was or withdraws or anything like that because I never heard of in my life or experienced it. As you can imagine my life went down hill pretty quick, I'm now on the path too recovery but it's been alot of painful years of mental, and physical stress. And Tons of mental and physical therapy. So thank you so much for exposing these evil peices of shit.

[@seanaugagnon6383]

Dear lord I hear you... That shit took EVERYTHING from me. Home, money, job, car, girlfriend etc. I was homeless, turned into a criminal and saw no hope. I'm sober now, but omg the pain, shame and guilt will never go away. I am forever scarred.

[@turdfurgeson1643]

It's such a fucked up thing. I was lucky to watch friends go down this path, and helped a few recover. But lost a few too. Boils my fucking blood these parasites of humanity are living free.

[@Dbswrath]

@@turdfurgeson1643 Who the drug companies or the addicts?

[@turdfurgeson1643]

@@Dbswrath The wealthy executives who knew damn well how deadly their product was, lied and denied, and got away with tragically minimal punishment when "caught."

[@Dbswrath]

@@turdfurgeson1643 oh yes absolutely totally agree barely got a slap on the wrist, had too pay a little billion dollar fine which is nothing too what they made off of OXY. they ruined generations for profit and knew exactly what they were doing

[@shroomyk]

That singing thing is one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen. I lost my first love to opiates when he was only 22. I think about 1/3 of my high school graduating class has died from it. My heart goes out to others who have lost loved ones and neighbors to this epidemic.

[@curiodyssey3867]

Same. All 6 of my closest homies are gone from high school 10 years since graduating. I'm the only one left. And I still constantly struggle with addiction. It has ruined every good thing I've ever had. I hate it.

[@shroomyk]

@@curiodyssey3867 I'm so sorry for so much loss in your life. I hope you can get better too. Keep fighting the good fight.

[@theeternalnow6506]

1/3 of your high school graduating class. And these scumbags get to keep their money without any repercussions. I don't even have the words.

[@cariwaldick4898]

That's just jaw-dropping. I can't believe these drug dealers get to skate on this. Even if they didn't know in the beginning, at some point it had to be evident, and they could have made different choices. They could have stopped selling it, and focused on treating the addiction.

[@baylinkdashyt]

A *third of your graduating class*? Uh, that's "Opiates IV", John, right there.

[@Redkrovvy]

I am in tears. I can’t tell you how much I love what you did with that website. Thank you so much for speaking the truth. I had a very close family member become addicted to opioids starting with OxyContin, and I am so thankful she survived it by her own sheer grit and determination to be done with that shit. Thank you SO MUCH for giving people a voice. This cartel has done so much damage. I practice medicine and I DO understand that there are times when opioids are necessary. It’s the way these people LIED to and bribed medical providers that makes me sick. That was before my time in medicine, and thank god they took away those kickbacks. I don’t even miss the drug rep pens.

[@Froggeh92]

Since u work in medicine listen to my anecdote :p. I live in a country where opiods are never prescribed. Pain management sucks ass in Kuwait. I went to the statez for a while and they gave me like a month supply of duluadid to take home. It was 4mg too

[@Froggeh92]

Im not sure what im trying to say but its a mixed signal. Pain management is a great thing but damn do they over do it

[@Redkrovvy]

Agreed. I don’t see anyone doing anything like that where I work. Thankfully.

[@fmbbeachbum8163]

Don't forget that our federal government has allowed this sh!t to go on because they're owned by these worthless humans.

[@Redkrovvy]

@@Froggeh92 WOAH! That’s insane.

[@elorz007]

"Boom, linguist fucked with" ending with a preposition, very subtle, very effective, 10/10

[@montecrysto33]

That's our boy Oliver for you

[@CantankerousDave]

It’s perfectly fine to end a sentence with a preposition in English. That bullshit was started by pedants who decided that since Latin - the perfect language in their eyes - sentences couldn’t end with a preposition, neither should English sentences.

[@Odinsday]

@@CantankerousDave That is such an idiotic rule. English is not a Romance language, it doesn’t fit the grammatical conventions of Latin.

[@MGMachete234]

So are linguists grammar nazis with a Phd,? I don't understand and how does it help you sell Oxy?

[@savannahschnier7021]

@@MGMachete234 knowing how to properly phrase legal paperwork as to avoid legal action, as seen throughout this video, I bet.

[@thehonestaspy102]

Thank you for continually highlighting the evil of the Sackler family and the harm they wrought

[@macarenacabral4258]

As an aspiring linguist, I can confirm that no one in their right mind could be intimidated by a linguist.

[@Piracanto]

You just have to _darle alegria a tu cuerpo Macarena_ JK, good luck with your linguist career!

[@macarenacabral4258]

@@Piracanto lol, that was my entire childhood right there (I'm Argentinian). Thank you for your good wishes!

[@ttthecat]

I was picturing Noam Chomsky who is like your favorite grandpa- not intimidating

[@ttthecat]

Oh! And good luck on your aspiration!!!

[@Piracanto]

@@macarenacabral4258 Saludos!

[@internetanonymity8534]

John Oliver really has become the next Jon Stewart. His voice has given hope for this new generation… also to Adam Driver…

[@woodsmand]

No John Stewart could engage with people in real time, he could go toe to toe with people he disagreed with. John Oliver just reads what's written for him, it's a steep regression not a continuation.

[@GUILLOTINE_GANG]

@@woodsmand exactly. These false equivalences help no one.

[@MrAlecPinnock]

I like john Oliver, but I don't think they're even close. John stewart is the fucking man and always will be in my book.

[@chrisprilloisebola]

@@woodsmand tru af

[@urAnusFighter1]

@@chrisprilloisebola not even....

[@DisProveMeWrong]

In a parallel just universe: Judge: "The amount is set at 200 thousand dollars." Sackler Lawyer: "Sounds good where are we paying it to?" Judge: "Thats not how much you are paying its how much you are keeping."

[@magnumtrooper17]

i like the universe where they literally go to hell

[@cablebox]

I like the universe where they're stripped of all their assets and go to jail for life. And the money from their assets and holdings are used for opioid addiction treatment and payments to families.

[@iand4374]

After all assets an accounts seized: Judge: "For crimes against humanity, the court has made the decision to adjudicate you guilty. Bailiffs, please remand the defendant into custody of the Bureau of Prisons." Max-security prison too not some bullshit federal camp. Even people who murdered haven't caused this much misery

[@MrDanisve]

@@iand4374 I agree, this is pretty much mass murder in the name of profit. You should really make an example out of them. And if you add up all the dead. You see they pretty much killed more people than Stalin...

[@blastermast4545]

Take away the “thousand” and it’s better. If I did the same shit they did, I’d be in prison for LIFE. The only crime I’d commit in the eyes of our system is not making enough money to settle for millions.

[@redpolscorp]

"Billionaire goes to space and dies there" Not space... And not one... But it was still beautiful.

[@Ryan-vl2nn]

Ya gotta love how corporations themselves love to be considered “people” when it benefits their bank accounts. But as soon as they’ve got subpoenas on the way that ‘personhood’ argument seems to fly right out the window.

[@areyouwatchingclosely-t9h]

Need to close that loophole for sure

[@cl8804]

May DOG bless these United Sh*tholes Of America - land of the fee and home of the $lave!

[@fatbgmanbg975]

Like a green ogre once said, " ONIONS HAVE LAYERS, OGRE HAVE LAYERS! "🙏

[@Redkrovvy]

YES!!!

[@transient_]

They could counter that by saying the company got a death penalty and ceased to exist.

[@mousermind]

A major company which has done wrong settling out of court is NOT a victory against said company, it is a victory FOR the company.

[@mndlessdrwer]

I will believe that corporations are people when Texas executes one.

[@wasserschmidt]

They have turned justice into something they can control and are well versed in: a negotiation.

[@undeadblizzard]

What if I told you. The suffering and misery of the Poor wasn't natural selection The Law of Natural but the Misery is because of our Man Made Institutions. In my home country Rich People aren't above the law. If you ruins lives you go to Prison if you are lucky. Unlucky you're exiled to a inhospitable land like New Jersey.

[@cl8804]

May DOG bless these United Sh*tholes Of America - land of the fee and home of the $lave!

[@TheyCallMeGator]

Exactly 🤦‍♂️

[@stephenwilliams163]

19:37 "What more do you want?" What I fucking want is for all of my friends to still be alive.

[@michaelduncan3261]

You need smarter friends.

[@stephenwilliams163]

@@michaelduncan3261 My buddy Dave was one of the smartest people I've ever known. We would talk for hours about anthropology, human origins, futurism, biology... all kinds of things. Addiction doesn't care about your intelligence, your income, your morals, or your social status. Addiction is a disease.

[@fredocarroll]

I'm sorry that you lost friends in this ghastly opioid epidemic.

[@ButsJeroen]

@@michaelduncan3261 Djeezus. Who hurt you?

[@stefanschleps8758]

In the nineties half dozen of my friends died from Oxycontin overdose. But in 2020 70,000 Americans died from Fentanyl poisoning. Are the Sacklers members of the CCP? With the Opioid epidemic the only workable and proven solution is substitution therapy. But Methadone is not enough. We cannot successfully legislate human nature. Good luck.

[@PaulMarceau]

I really like How he has managed to use Humor to spread awareness of important topics. its a win win.

[@MiaDiRienzo]

The second he said, "They created a website," I knew exactly how this episode was going to end.

[@forgiveman]

"And the reason I know that..." 🤣

[@MrJkenney485]

How can we fund the domain ownership?

[@virgiljericho664]

Richard kind saying “I dunno” like he was high was amazing

[@justthinking526]

Spit take!

[@cindygrant2281]

__y⁶⁶/// Y⁶t

[@Badonky11]

Favorite part of the segment

[@HannaBenana]

I have a transitional vertebra in my spine that caused me a lot of pain as a kid. When I was 12 it was starting to get so painful I would choose not to play, my parents took me to the Dr and for 9 years their solution was to drug me up so badly I couldn't even tell what was going on. This epidemic stole my childhood, from 12 to 21 I was a legal addict, so intensely I barely remember the final 5 years. This was all ENCOURAGED by my doctor, no one questioned why I was going through meds 2 weeks faster than I should, they just gave me more and more and more. It was a nightmare and I'm very grateful and lucky a doctor that actually cared about people saw what was happening to me. So many other people, CHILDREN, didn't have that. My good doctor fixed the problem and got me off medication less than two weeks after I met him. 9 years drugged out of my mind and it was fixed with surgery in 2 weeks. My insurance fought tooth and nail to prevent my surgery too. It was an incredibly dehumanizing experience to realize that these people wanted me to stay an addict, I was a vulnerable child.

[@dionysus9876]

So sorry you had to go through this. Thank you for sharing your story, and happy to hear you survived!

[@Unlikely_Pirate]

Everyone should read Empire of Pain. It’s so deeply informative of how/why this company did what they did. They report only facts but the facts in this case show a clear narrative of who the players in this game are.

[@carolstewart9132]

@Gisselle ST I also recommend Barbara Kingsolver's fabulous new novel Demon Copperhead. A fictional perspective on the opioid epidemic.

[@philblake5074]

I'm amazed that people don't join the dots, with this information in the public domain, the backlash towards healthy people that chose not to get the CVD V was incredible. These companies are all the same

[@colt9836]

​@@philblake5074 Most of those "healthy" unvaxed people are either dead, hospitalized, and/or experiencing long COVID. Turns out when you are infected by a deadly virus, people die.

[@nsahandler]

I get it now: Pablo Escobar just needed to open a pharmacutical company first and the Feds would have been absolutely fine with him peddling heroin and cocaine.

[@wolfeblister2503]

The only thing Escobar did wrong was not pay taxes /s

[@bookbook9495]

Yeah, exactly

[@HimitsuHunter]

@@wolfeblister2503 To rephrase it. "The only thing Escobar did wrong was not give gov their Cut."

[@BrandonQ1995]

It all comes down to taxes. Escobar's assets went untaxed and apparently that simply will not fly...

[@Drahko12]

Even el chapo could have done that too

[@ScotterOtter]

you know as they say, "I'll believe a corporation is a person when Texas executes one"... -Anonymous

[@fatbgmanbg975]

Honestly, I don't get it...

[@Illlium]

@@fatbgmanbg975 The thing to get is that corporations are not people, and shouldn't be treated as such

[@jonhall8102]

Soon... soon...

[@CreatorCade]

Oh I like that, I’m definitely going to use that one.

[@zacharyjohnson9817]

That is the most legendary take down of a nonsensical fascist legal concept ever.

[@annala2956]

I could watch those clips of Richard Kind saying “I don’t know” all day

[@susanwright7682]

I bet there’s a full days worth

[@nate9221]

You should try to be more productive

[@BTCBlizzy]

I don’t knooowwwww 🤣🤣🤣

[@isaiahmurray2742]

@@nate9221 u j watched a 20 min video about criminals you can't put a scratch on comeon bruh

[@tylerbyars859]

Why??

[@Unh0lySpectre]

"Billionaire goes to space and dies there" You were so close. SO CLOSE.

[@edumart3836]

They are so innocent that, when their enterprise began to be investigated in the US, they expanded their operations overseas, which quickly created an opioid crisis in Spain.

[@thenullvoidabyss]

I wonder if Spain can file a lawsuit to these depraved beings or international court

[@edumart3836]

@@thenullvoidabyss They should.

[@JMOP1715]

Dear God

[@MarcelaElviraTimis]

😯

[@isam1542]

Excuse me? I'm Spanish and that has not exactly happened. Spain has a national healthcare system. Doctors do not prescribe opioids happily. There has been an increase in deaths because of opioid medication in those older than 65, but it's about 8 to 12 times less than the American statistics. A Spanish physician usually studies at a state-paid university. They do not pay 400.000 for their medical degree. They make less money, but they are very encouraged to treat the SOURCE of the pain, not the pain itself with strong sedatives. Apparently fentanyl is being used in the illegal drug trade, but legal opioids have to go (for most people at least) through the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social, which is the national healthcare system (akin to the British' NHS). Again, the doctors here come from state-paid universities: they do not make lots of money (middle class-access level), but they do not owe tens of thousands of euros to the university. That means nearly everyone with a vocation for medicine or nursing actually gets into medical college. Most of the workers at the Seguridad Social system are vocational and owe their formation to the Spanish taxpayers'. Very few of them (if any of them at all) studied medicine to become rich. The chances of them prescribing opiates exceedingly is very low. There's also the fact that pain is your body's way of screaming. Dulling the pain is akin to covering your body's mouth, but will not solve the underlying problem. Unless in cases of chronic pain, dulling pain is done only in order to allow the patient to wait until surgery, rehabilitation or whatever treatment is needed. You might get something until that tooth gets pulled out... And sometimes you do not get even that. Because if your back hurts you should lose the weight and sign up for swimming; if your teeth hurt you should get it pulled or treated. Opiates are for those in paliative care, the ones who are near death or something like that. For pain units in certain hospitals, acupuncture may be tried before opiates. So, yes, there was a bit of an increase, but nothing remotely close to a crisis, because the system makes it hard for such a crisis to occur. To begin with, doctors at the INSS get rewarded for prescribing less, not more. If they can avoid a prescription, they will (if they cannot, they will tell whoever politician is trying to implement budget cuts to fuck off, but they normally do not fight for opiates, but for other types of medication). That said... I'd love for us to sue those bastards. I do not think you have a chance with Spain, but you might want to try the United Kingdom, I have read they had trouble there.

[@annabunovsky5628]

All of this is sickening, though I just wanna take a moment to appreciate John as a person and his team as journalists. Last Week Tonight always goes above and beyond to provide a detailed, accurate, comprehensive assessment of real, pressing issues all with a ridiculous sense of humor. It really is a force for good in this world.

[@dobermommartha]

Anna....thank you for this. I couldn't have said it better.

[@annabunovsky5628]

Thank you Martha! We gotta give thanks for the good things in life, so we remember not to give up 💕

[@Iusethis4comments]

I agree with everything you said, and let me also include all of the other reporters around the country that John gets a lot of his info from as well. The show is great for bringing things to light and highlighting some of the work people have already been doing on these subjects

[@ace-xy8ub]

I agree

[@RobFeldkamp]

They are not journalists. They are a light entertainment show. He will admit this himself. Hardly funny or relevant anymore.

[@TransSappho]

I do wish that he’d mentioned the name of the bankruptcy judge in this case who’s letting the Sacklers off scott free. His name is Robert Drain, and I highly recommend writing a letter to him saying that he’s unfit to be a judge and should resign

[@AC3handle]

I'd be interested to see any bank accounts that guy has, and if he suddenly came into a windfall from somewhere.

[@elizabethbennet4791]

Put hIum in prison for taking blood money, corrupt judge.

[@michaelduncan3261]

Wouldn't that be harassment you manipulative creep.

[@fredocarroll]

@@michaelduncan3261 What's your deal? Do you _work_ for these shitty people? And it's not harassment to complain to a judge, who is an officer of the government.

[@bassplayersayer]

Well said John. I was seriously injured in early 2000 at work. The entire experience from that day to right now 12-11-24 has completely ruined my life.

[@tylerf.145]

Had a friend pass away from a fentanyl overdose just this April. If you struggle w addiction, this is your sign to call someone. The world has lost too many beautiful people to such a horrible disease

[@BeegirlsHoneyHouse]

Amen‼️🇺🇸⚖️🦇💩🤪☎️

[@elvenkind6072]

I'm sorry to hear that, I have, as an opiate addict lost several friends to heroin alone. Fortunately this drug (Oxycontin) isn't easily available in my country. I'm stable on Methadone at the moment myself, and hope anyone that need it and can't stop using opiates, will be able to get the chance of a treatment with buprenorphine, methadone or whatever it take to get stable and function.

[@1SIMON5H6]

❤️❤️❤️

[@JP-xd6fm]

@@elvenkind6072 But mate, What made you to start with that?. I'm struggling to understand how people start with drugs, I have being young myself and I never used drugs so "I was young" excuse doesn't work for me. I wish you good luck btw, but really don't get it why people starts to use heroin at all!, Did you ever saw an addict before to start? is like if you see people jumping from a bridge and smash to the ground and breaking all the bones of their body and STILL you want to try it!??

[@LongToad]

My sympathies to you and anyone trying to recover but I don't see any benefit in labeling it as a disease. Why? Because people are less prone to rectify the problem if they feel they're victims. -Even if it really is the case that they're victims, it doesn't change the fact that the only way they'll ever become better is if they choose to make it better. I just think it's much less likely to solve the problem with a "you did this to me" or "I had no control" mentality than a "I need to get myself out of this" mentality.

[@enternamehere5498]

Every week, I live for the moment I hear ... "Moving on!"

[@mannymayer9250]

The Supreme Court ruled that “corporations are people “. But when the corporations have been deemed guilty, why don’t the corporate heads be also held to account? After all, they are the ones who are making the business decisions. If you or I were convicted for crimes that we made decisions on, we would be in jail!

[@cavemanvi]

HEY STEPHEN HOW WAS OBAMAS PARTY?

[@mannymayer9250]

@@cavemanvi are you on crack?

[@ericcharles2699]

Manny if you had set up " The Manny Mayer, Inc." you would be able to commit any crime and walk away according to the Sacklers.

[@williamerazo3921]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@amytheshihtzumom]

@@ericcharles2699 It would help if you bribed some high ranking politicians and medical staff.

[@mustafaemrebasaran7701]

I am not American, nor do I know anyone who's been affected by the reckless sale of opioids by this terrible company, but after watching this pitch, I couldn't help but think: Thank you, John Oliver.

[@mvvpro8688]

In every show or movie when a drug cartel is mentioned, they show a Mexican hacienda. Instead they should show one of the Sackler's villas and condos in Bel Air, The Hamptons and Manhattan.

[@BlitzkriegOmega]

Yeah, but that would create class consciousness and we can’t have that. Baseless racism is easier to control.

[@Wabajak13]

They can criminalize the middlemen because they pay off the lawmakers duuuuh

[@oxtheunlikelycontemplator2682]

@@BlitzkriegOmega well actual cartels exist so it's not really baseless or racist to depict them.

[@flywithafatguy5825]

Honestly assests siezed, and a decade in prison is the min since they give that to a guy who grew a plant. Sacklers need all assets siezed and prison. Anything less isnt justice.

[@sergeantassassin3425]

Only justice for a result that killed hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed the lives of millions is death by firing squad.

[@lillysora]

Well said.

[@asherujudo7383]

It's called an LLC or Limited Liability Company. Nearly every business there is, (aside from Sole Proprietors and certain partnerships) is registered as a limited liability company. It means the company is a separate legal entity: it can retain lawyers, own property and only the company's assets are exposed during lawsuits, takeovers and bankruptcy (among other things). The company owners have no liability. Which is a good thing because a lot of people own stock in large companies. Imagine if the guy who buys Coca Cola stock because of a trend becomes liable for Coca Cola lawsuits (of which there are so many!), no one would ever invest in businesses ever again. All in all, the Sacklers might suck, but they didn't break any laws, therefore criminal punishment is out of the question.

[@Shuizid]

@@asherujudo7383 If people lie and cheat and push dangerous, highly addictive drugs onto the market - they should be personally accountable. If people don't invest into business, if they could be hold accountable for commiting crimes through that business, then something is REALLY fked up.

[@asherujudo7383]

@@Shuizid It's not just about the crimes committed. It's about the concept and precedent.

[@Real28]

Richard Kinds voice and facial expressions are a world treasure. I love anything that continues to immortalize his work. Thanks for reminding me that you hired him to do that sackler bit. OMG You crazy bastards, you got Richard again! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@twothreebravo]

My exact thoughts too!

[@BHHartman]

The show Dopesick was so hard to watch, but also so good.

[@thexalon]

The court system has spent a very long time teaching criminals a lesson. And that lesson is: "When you commit crimes, do so under the guise of a limited liability corporation, and you can get away with it."

[@bluemoon9530]

So if you are poor you can expect to be punished to the full extent of the law... but if you are wealthy you can buy your way out... that is Not justice.

[@baileyduggan3659]

So that's what LLC stands for, I never cared enough to learn

[@appu.mp3]

more power to John Oliver and the kick-ass brand of journalism that he does!!

[@qataribananahamock1495]

Imagine if he has the balls to mention Palestine once, Idc in what context, but any attempt would do.

[@TheScawer]

But don't forget that his work stands on many journalists doing their work and doing it well. They are the unsung heroes that deserve your attention. He even did a video about that.

[@benwalters4808]

@@qataribananahamock1495 he has

[@qataribananahamock1495]

@@benwalters4808 a source would be nice

[@qataribananahamock1495]

@@retched quote one episode please….

[@BeastNationXIV]

"You're basically an English major who wasted more time." Linguistically, got *DAMN* he's ruthless! 🤣🤣🤣

[@ernestogonzalez4398]

And murdering her with words🤣🤣🤣

[@Zerpersande]

‘God’ damn You do know that, right?

[@willfrank961]

@@Zerpersande He wrote it wrong to piss off the linguists

[@Kevin-rf5zh]

@@Zerpersande Obviously you're not a linguist, or you'd know about AAVE.

[@andej8785]

John oliver is a gangster everyday chooses violence lol

[@renchesandsords]

"Non-consensual third party release" sounds like something a rich sexual offender can pay for under the table

[@Blaurot]

Could be a quote from Epsteins lawyer lel

[@montecrysto33]

The only reason Joss wanted to be called "Dr" having a linguist PhD was to confuse people into believing she had some medical qualifications. Change my mind

[@mindakahn9964]

I can’t. You’re absolutely correct. Great point with the right economy of words.

[@Illiteratechimp]

"Change my mind" Meh Not a good use of that cliche

[@sarahcantrell7142]

I'm not trying to change your mind, but I will say that PhD's are a lot of work. Typically it takes 4 years for an undergrad and 3-4 years for the PhD. And that doesn't include if you choose to do a Master's which is about 2 years on average. At the end of the day, I may not like her or what she stands for, but I will respect her degree and the work she put into it.

[@montecrysto33]

@@sarahcantrell7142 That is true I have to admit that it's a lot of work, and I would know as my brother plans to get one, but I would have respected hers if all she got out of it wasn't so that people shouldn't "fuck with her".

[@orlewenstein9108]

@@sarahcantrell7142 True. Which is why I was surprised not to find any research paper written by Joss Sackler, except for one mention on a seminary, where she isn't listed as in a university for some reason... Seems iffy at best. Studying linguistics myself so I was interested to see what her research is about

[@melkam5604]

In the future when history looks back, John Oliver will be remembered as a HERO that stood and fought for all the little guys.

[@austingibbs7165]

More likely when the Bezos clan kills the last refugees from the burnt husk of the Amazon someone will use the script from this episode as toilet paper badly.

[@The_Ninja_Tree]

@Hakim Habib Bela Lugosi ;)

[@y337]

@Hakim Habib we talk about figures who influenced history in the 1920s all the time in fact it’s a requirement to be taught in both high school and college. Yes John Oliver is one of those historical figures along with John Stewart because his show is political and discusses the issues of our time so again he’s clearly more than a celebrity. Furthermore, unlike people in the 1920s his videos will probably be accessible on KZbin or a platform like it for 1000s of years into the future. We only got the internet just now, we didn’t have it in the 1920s

[@johnhodge5871]

History is written by the victors. In case you haven't noticed, we're losing.

[@ybmagpye]

And let's not forget his behind the scenes crew.

[@JGerman70]

If you haven't seen the documentary series "The Pharmacist", I highly recommend it. It's will give you a sense of the scale of the genocide this family caused.

[@cathithomas2888]

There is a movie coming out too.

[@Tyrannosaurine]

Fantastic documentary. As pointed out, they’re making a movie out of it, but no doubt Hollywood will sensationalize it, whereas the documentary is a gritty and real look at it.

[@shiapapkin9617]

Interesting that someone with the name ‘German’ misused the word genocide

[@chrisbotron]

Such an amazing docu-series

[@Monkeylifeshow]

Good presentation.

[@justinhamill1931]

Thank you for making all of these episodes that make us all aware of what is going wrong in the world.

[@MrTigerlore]

So if I murder someone, I go to prison. But if my “corporation” murders someone, then meh, whatevz?

[@AirAtNight6977]

Only if they can't prove you did it. Having a corporation helps with that ofc, but it's not an automatic get out of jail free card

[@no_peace]

Then the corporation goes to prison of course

[@Vaderi300]

@@AirAtNight6977 You say that, and if the system worked correctly that would be the case, but the system does not work and it is currently an automatic get out of jail free card.

[@ALCRAN2010]

I remember when they told us that corporations are people...

[@pufthemajicdragon]

Yes, that is exactly how it works, but only if you have the right lawyers.

[@bhenry411]

“You’re basically an English major who wasted more time.” OMFG savage

[@lisilein2]

I felt that.

[@אניבאמתיהודי]

Somebody get Tom Scott. He'll put the fear of linguistics in John Oliver.

[@Turtleproof]

It's so sleazy and lacks all self awareness to whine about not being called a doctor, especially from someone who supposedly majored in language. Here, doctors are medical professionals, someone with a respectable doctorate in archeology describes themselves as an archeologist.

[@MoLauer]

Okay, I just try not to be offended ^^ It is a pretty good burn

[@igorschmidlapp6987]

I bet that she appreciates cunning linguists... ;-P

[@samweber7728]

I have lost too many friends to this crisis. Your focus on the victims and on accountability makes me feel just a little bit of hope.

[@Michael-te7fj]

You're going to lose even more friends sending drug users onto the street to buy these drugs. I wonder, how many of the friends you lost drank while taking these drugs?

[@samweber7728]

@@Michael-te7fj not sure what your statement is supposed to imply. As for your question, to my knowledge none of them were drinking simultaneously

[@ngtony2969]

2021 Dec update : The bankruptcy judge Robert Drain did indeed help the sacklers as oliver predicted but the decision is now thrown out by a federal judge

[@pibyte]

6:25 The "I don't know!" version played by Richard Kind is stuck in my head since the very first moment it aired - every time I think to myself "I don't know" it is his voice in my head. Thank you John Oliver.

[@BeegirlsHoneyHouse]

🤔I’m already thinking about the many upcoming ways that I too, can use ‘I don’t know‼️’👍🏽🤷‍♀️🇺🇸

[@awkwardllama0509]

I stand by the notion that if a crime is heinous enough or causes enough damage we should seize and liquidate all assets of a company. Prison sentences for normal people can absolutely ruin lives, so lets level the playing field and do the equivalent to the rich.

[@katara2021]

Exactly.

[@johndododoe1411]

Or get a court not chosen by the defendant to pierce the corporate veil and thus allow direct prosecution of the individual owners. Then or alternatively skip straight to DEA criminal prosecution on the Manuel Noriega level.

[@evananderson1455]

Guillotines, firing squads, and nooses are cheaper. Just saying.

[@Illlium]

@@evananderson1455 Also wouldn't take years or decades for families of victims to see some justice. Just saying.

[@ginapino2857]

This is not just about being rich it is a matter of ethics.

[@schattentaenzerin]

Last Week Tonight Team, you are absolute legends! Thanks for not letting go and covering this topic again. Please add subtitles to the video, too, for people with hearing disabilities and foreign speakers. That would be amazing! Edit: The subtitles have arrived! Thank you so much. 💐 John is speaking so fast, some things just slip by without the help of the subtitles. I'm very grateful that you keep putting them in.

[@driftingdruid]

i second this motion for adding subtitles

[@cavemanvi]

HEY STEPHEN HOW WAS OBAMAS PARTY? Rules for thee none for me. an episode on how the hypocrisy of obama partying and no one saying a peep and in fact going to it.

[@at0micbunnygirl]

@@Transbloop You must not have experience with foreign languages to say this. I'm a native English speaker, but became partially fluent in German in high school. Every now and then I practice my German through a variety of ways - when I watch a video, like DW Nachrichten for news stories - it's MUCH easier for me to understand if I can READ what they're saying. This is true for most people.

[@lindzieh]

Just finishing reading Empire of Pain. This is was a great video to watch while reading this in depth book

[@Kuolonen]

"What more do you want to be done for Sacklers?" Well how much jail time would you get for producing and dealing heroin across the whole US?

[@Icantthinkofaname-i1x]

All of it.

[@hello7032]

Death. Death sounds reasonable

[@Icantthinkofaname-i1x]

@@hello7032 why give them mercy?

[@hello7032]

@@Icantthinkofaname-i1x fair. I want them to suffer

[@samusaran3798]

Jealous losers

[@lilyn2341]

Loved that: "When your family's company recklessly sold a product as damaging as oxycontin the right question (...) is 'how many billions is it right for you to keep?'"

[@AxxLAfriku]

I broke my feet today because I kicked my computer because someone commented that my videos are bad! I hate unjustified criticism. Please wish me a speedy recovery, dear lil

[@HopeRock425]

Definitely one of the best John Oliver quotes.

[@dev_ilmoon]

what’s up with this fine bs, they need to be in jail. If i can go to jail for possessing, these people can go to jail for selling schedule drugs to millions of people.

[@alexandrezani]

Oxy can be damaging, but it's also an amazing pain relief drug. And those of us who need scheduled drugs to function would like it if y'all could please chill the fuck out and stop throwing obstacles between ourselves and the treatments we need!

[@dev_ilmoon]

@@alexandrezani a few of my clients have chronic pain, and some are opiate addicts. the amount of people who NEED this medication is leagues fewer than what's being prescribed and who has been hurt by it. If you truly have chronic pain, i pray ypu find the treatment that works with as few unnecessary barriers as possible, and at the same time im far less concerned about you and your chronic pain than i am about the millions of people this shit has killed

[@1989Nihil]

The moment Oliver says: "X forgot to buy/set up..." or says "[And] the reason I know this, is because..." you just know, you just _know_ that he and the LWT crew did some major trolling.

[@ThatBritWorm]

I love how they got actors to play someone who would eventually be played by Matthew Broderick

[@Justusson]

Imagine a serial-killer, -burglar and -abuser not being charged for every crime but instead gets it all “lumped” together in one ☝️ sentence. These lawsuits ends up in a discussion of money, instead of individuals being heard on what they and their family have gone through. It would be much different if all the peoples voices were heard, and their faces seen.

[@increase9896]

Crazy how there can be multiple felony convictions related to selling drugs and no one goes to jail because its a faceless corporation

[@karlak57]

But but but Mitt Romney said "corporations are people, my friend." Then let's put them in jail. Along with all the people who run it.

[@Kobolds_in_a_trenchcoat]

@@karlak57 I'll believe corporations are people when they get the death penalty. This company has killed more people than some countries and it gets a slap on the wrist fine and not one person faces any real repercussions? Bullshit, companies aren't people they are a shell game to avoid actual responsibility for criminal actions.

[@808zhu]

Crazy? Criminal and an absolute obscenity.

[@michaelduncan3261]

Let me educate you: many of the pharmacists and "pill farms" (i.e. doctors who overprescribed) went to prison. They're are many cases. One major case being a clinic in LA, 7-10 years i believe, the doctor there got incarcerated for, purposefully overprescribing Oxycontin. So there's your "multiple felony convictions." It does happen, you just have to learn to read, then read.

[@808zhu]

@@michaelduncan3261 This person is referring to the Sackler family members who own and operated Purdue Pharma. (In case you missed the title and entire content of this video you are commenting on.)

[@alias093001]

"Our main story tonight concerns a public health crisis that's exposed the failure of American institutions. Not that one. No, not that one either. That's a good point, but not actually this time." It says a lot about our country that there are multiple answers to the same question.

[@welinder01]

we have no effective governance.

[@joshn7232]

@Milad Chy the porn industry is worldwide. Wtf are you talking about?

[@BsYtHandle]

Well, about some people's choices over certain things. Yes, those choices are all about them. Yes they are life ending choices, in a lot of cases but don't stop believing in humans. You and some others are still pretty awesome.

[@g.d.graham2446]

Yep

[@Keving3]

I wouldn't be surprised to find republicans at the center of the years of stonewalling regarding prosecuting these "Businessmen" They keep proving over and over again how easy it is to buy a senator

[@TheBigCat13]

Took everything I had in my being to save my brother… I thank god everyday that he is alive.

[@Gutileonardo1]

"billionaire goes to space and dies there " made me laugh so hard 😂😂😂

[@cavemanvi]

HEY STEPHEN HOW WAS OBAMAS PARTY? Rules for thee none for me

[@luisch1708]

@@cavemanvi what?

[@miguelmongi891]

I know we are never going to see justice in this world, but at least we have John!

[@kristasimpson3139]

This was a particularly great piece. I have to say, that mom of the high school student gave me goosebumps. The way she spoke chilled me. A mother fighting for her child and for others like him, wanting to be heard. That woman should be one of the faces of the case against the Sacklers. She would be great in court.

[@lowlife1368]

“A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic” -Joseph Stalin

[@kostisdedes4175]

That isn't Joseph Stalins quote

[@KingAmasawa]

As someone who has a b.a in linguistics I found the linguistic joke hilarious and I felt very called out 😂😂😂😂it’s really an interesting field of study!

[@SplittingProductions]

Hey I believe you. It can be pretty neat. Just not at all intimidating :p

[@lyonellaverde3135]

I think it resonated less because of the field of study, but her insistence on being called "Dr." It's not that a PhD is inconsequential, but insisting on having the title comes across as pretentious. Once I was in college, and while speaking to a professor, I mentioned his collegue as "Dr. so-and-so." The professor responded, "I wouldn't have him operate on me."

[@dw999]

I was an English major, but now that I'm older, I wish I'd at least minored in (if not majored in) linguistics. Good for you!

[@mercandog507]

😃IS IT😒

[@colin-hm5xw]

@@lyonellaverde3135 not to mention the fact that she’s associated with a pharmaceutical company, so calling her “Doctor” would imply she has some sort of authority or relevant qualifications. The media outlet definitely made the right decision not calling her doctor.

[@williamscustomwoodworking]

Imagine robbing a bank wherein you had to murder 14,000 tellers and only having to return 10 percent of it in an AGREEMENT with the court.

[@thisguy9819]

Don't have to imagine, just watch a Michael Bay movie.

[@Bern_il_Cinq]

Imagine going to a bank and robbing yourself. Every day. For years. And having the government blame the bank for you.

[@jackallenproductions]

I feel like the tellers would be the primary care physicians who got kickbacks for prescribing this stuff. Was like robbing a bank, but only the customers, which you then proceed to execute- then you say "see you guys next week" to the tellers, while kicking past the corpses on your way out.

[@cl8804]

May DOG bless these United Sh*tholes Of America - land of the fee and home of the $lave!

[@TheyCallMeGator]

And not having to serve any time. Crazy right.

[@michaelnaramore9310]

Other title: how the top 1% skirt the legal system while everyone else can get in prison for possession of a pipe with the wrong type of plant in it

[@Muzakman37]

@Michael Andrade Er, I think you'll find, despite those you imagine control the World, that it's mostly populated by white people.Not I think, I know.

[@Muzakman37]

@Michael Andrade Whatever you say...can't be arsed with this.

[@PianoBangBang]

@Michael Andrade another fool, with no proof. Who do you think runs the world 🤡🤡? Also, what are you doing about it?

[@PianoBangBang]

@Michael Andrade I'm not sure you know lol, you clearly can't even say what you're thinking 🤣 🤡🤡

[@Muzakman37]

@Michael Andrade Yep, that must be it. Let me help protect those who are really in charge, it's my duty to do so. And it's my duty to wind you up in the process.

[@margretnorenberg8643]

John Oliver speaks the truth so eloquently and wisely. Respect!