Nikki Sixx speaks against pharma companies over opioid epidemic
It’s no secret that Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx has struggled with addictions, so his words on the current opioid epidemic hold considerable weight.
Sixx recently appeared on MSNBC’s The Beat yesterday (Aug 29) and put big pharma companies to task on the issue.
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The discussion came about after a landmark ruling took place with a judge ordering opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson to pay $572 million to the state of Oklahoma.
Johnson & Johnson intentionally downplayed the risks of opioid addiction further driving the crisis. Additionally, Purdue Pharma (the creators of Oxycontin) are working out a deal to offer $10-$12 billion in settlements over 2,000 lawsuits related to addiction.
“This is a fantastic ruling in my opinion, but the question is ‘what’s going to happen with the money?’ Sixx asks host Ari Melber. “I hope that it’s used for organizations to help with treatment facilities and to help, also, erase the stigma of addiction.”
Sixx continues by saying overprescribing from doctors getting funding from pharmaceutical companies is pushing addicts further into their problem.
“Now what happens once we get them into treatment and then we re-enter them into society? … Addiction is horrible, but suffering in silence is worse.”
“This is a fantastic ruling in my opinion, but the question is ‘what’s going to happen with the money?’ I hope that it’s used for organizations to help with treatment facilities and to help also erase the stigma of addiction.” – @NikkiSixx on Oklahoma ruling pic.twitter.com/ILugavayU5
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) August 29, 2019
The bassist also shares his personal struggles with painkillers as a recovering addict. He explains that he had shoulder surgery recently requiring a pain medication prescription.
“There are purposes for it, but if doctors are overprescribing and they just keep giving and giving and the pharmaceutical companies aren’t being honest about how addictive these pills are, this epidemic is just gonna keep getting worse and worse and worse.”
What do you think of Nikki Sixx’s take on the growing opioid epidemic? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
