Artist Drops Massive Opioid Spoon at Entrance of Another Sackler-Owned Drug Manufacturer

https://hyperallergic.com/483959/artist-drops-massive-opioid-spoon-at-entrance-of-another-sackler-owned-drug-manufacturer/

Excerpt:

Yesterday, February 7, artist Domenic Esposito dropped off a massive, unexpected addition to the entrance of Rhodes Pharma. The generic opioid manufacturer is linked to the infamous Sackler family, founders of multi-billion dollar drug company Purdue Pharma and notorious art philanthropists.

On September 9 of last year, the Financial Times revealed that the Sackler family owns Rhodes Pharma, a lesser-known drug company in Rhode Island that produces generic opioids like oxycodone, morphine, and hydrocodone. Rhodes Pharma was established in 2007, just four months after Purdue pleaded guilty to criminal charges that it had mismarketed OxyContin. Between the two companies, the Sacklers are responsible for manufacturing 6% of opioid prescriptions nationwide and are the seventh-largest opioid makers by market share.

Esposito’s passion for drug advocacy is rooted in a painful experience with a brother suffering from drug addiction — a reality shared by millions of American families. In a personal essay about his motivations, Esposito calls the opioid spoon “dark and macabre symbol of hopelessness.” 

“The burnt spoon sculpture (Purdue) embodies the pain I have felt dealing with substance use disorder in my family,” he continues. “The road to recovery is long, tedious and at times full of despair; and like so many families in a similar position it is a road not well understood. Many people do not even realize that opioid addiction is a disease.”