Opioids: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
What it is
A Last Week Tonight segment on the US opioid epidemic, tracing how prescription painkillers fed addiction and heroin use. It is the first of three episodes the show devoted to the crisis.
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN points to it as an informative, fact-heavy overview of the opioid crisis and Purdue Pharma.
- 5 people recommended it
- 5 different months
- 1 strong recommendations
- first 2016, last 2024
What HN commenters said
“I recently watched these 3 episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Highly recommended.”
Three Last Week Tonight episodes on the opioid crisis
pagade, 2024-07 · Strong recommendation · in “Supreme Court blocks controversial Purdue Pharma opioid settlement”
“John Oliver did a segment on Opioids that's pretty informative.”
Informative segment on how prescription painkillers lead to heroin
btgeekboy, 2016-12 · Recommendation · in “Heroin deaths surpass gun homicides for the first time, CDC data shows”
“I thought John Oliver had a good segment on it”
Good segment on prescription opioid use leading to heroin
drvdevd, 2017-01 · Recommendation · in “Seattle Is Opening First in U.S. “Safe Injection Facility” for Heroin Addicts”
“he managed to compile an impressive amount of testimonials and facts.”
In-depth coverage with many testimonials and facts
partycoder, 2017-03 · Recommendation · in “America’s opioid epidemic is worsening”
“there are 3 John Oliver segments on the subject that will back up the "Good." statement”
Series backing criticism of Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers
dstick, 2021-12 · Recommendation · in “Judge rejects Purdue Pharma's $4.5B opioid settlement”
Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.
Topics: opioids, purdue pharma, john oliver, addiction, public health
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