FX’s The Weekly Episode 10 explores a real drug epidemic in the United States

The latest episode of FX’s The Weekly explored the opioid epidemic which has ravaged the United States, specifically the excessive prescriptions for Oxycontin.

In episode ten of FX’s The Weekly, audiences get a glimpse at one of the real drug epidemics plaguing our great nation: Oxycontin. The dangers of the drug have been downplayed for years but now the testimonials are coming out and people are no longer standing idly by while their loved ones are consumed by the drug.

The debate itself has fallen on the addictive nature of Oxycontin but then the argument from conservatives is the “what about” defense where they simply compare it to something else, suggesting a completely unrelated medication should be scrutinized just as harshly. The main problem is discussions about Oxycontin tend to veer in other directions away from the dilemma at hand.

Proponents for the drug support falsified statistics that they themselves won’t comment on. Advertisers for Oxycontin and the major pharmaceutical companies which produce it will tout statistics like ‘only one percent of patients become addicted’ when there’s been verified statistics that confirm the drug’s addictive nature. Mind you that the statistics spoken of have been verified by the U.S.N.L.M.N.I.H (United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health), an accredited institute created by our own government.

Today, the epidemic rages while little is being down to reduce the dangers of taking Oxycontin. Ridiculous amounts are still being prescribed to patients and physicians aren’t monitoring the influx of pills going into small communities. Take Kermit for instance.

The small West Virginia town with a population of fewer than 400 people received over 9 million painkillers in just two years time. Regardless of how that’s distributed, it’s impossible for 400 people to consume that number of pills in two years. Even if each person was prescribed 200 pills a month, the town would still need less than 2 million to supply them all. The question now is: Where did the other 7 million opioids go?

What we should take away from this episode of FX’s The Weekly that more attention needs to be brought the opioid epidemic. It’s been quietly simmering under the surface but now there are too many ill people suffering from addiction to not take notice. Although, intervention by the government is the only way any change can be made. But for that to happen, the government has to acknowledge a fundamental problem actually exists.

What are your thoughts on the opioid epidemic plaguing the United States? Let us know in the comments section below.

The Weekly airs Sundays on FX. Episode 10 is currently streaming on Hulu. Episode 11 “The Six Million Dollar Claim” airs this Sunday. For more on this FX series, follow us on the Hulu Watcher Twitter Account @HuluWatcherFS or on the Hulu Watcher Facebook Page.

(Source: U.S. Library of Medicine, Vox)