Not Available Designs: Senior Thesis

In my body of work, Addicted America, I wanted to bring attention to the Opioid Epidemic that is currently plaguing our nation.

This collection was hypothesized after the overdose of two close friends, whose first contact with the drugs were prescribed after minor surgery in their youth. I created this collection on the basis of education and harm reduction of prescription pills. Four out of five heroin users began using after they were prescribed prescription pills by their doctors. We are led to believe that doctors have our best interests at heart, but this is not always the case. Many doctors are given incentives, such as cash, extravagant gifts, dinners and vacations to prescribe name brand pills to patients. This has led to the over prescribing of opioids in the mid 90s, increasing over 400% from 1995 – 2016. Today opioid overdoses have surpassed automotive accidents in the leading cause of death for those under 50 years old. 

Addicted America, utilizes sustainable materials, such as wool, hemp, and recycled leather, to tell the story of choice of natural vs. synthetic medicines when it comes to long term treatment for pain. These materials are knitted and felted to symbolize the connection and layers of corruption between, Big Pharma, the FDA, Doctors, and Pharmacies. Each piece contains a narrative synonymous with the reasons behind the epidemic.

The use of offset buttons and laces symbolize Bruce Alexander’s report on the psychology of addiction; which says if our basic needs are not being met it brings us to a feeling of dislocation in society and the drugs fulfill the needs that are not being met.

This collection is meant to show a comparison between doctors and drug dealers, the patient and pharmacy relationship, and the War on Drugs. Over 45% of prisoners are incarcerated over drug related charges. Through these accessories, I hope to bring about more knowledge on the Opioid Epidemic, as well as evoke thought towards the future of harm reduction.