Mike Hunter releases new ads on opiod crisis

Family of Austin Box Shares Story in Latest Mike Hunter Ad

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mike Hunter for Attorney General campaign released a new ad today featuring Craig and Whitney Box, the father and sister of the late Austin Box.

Austin Box died suddenly from an opioid overdose on May 19, 2011. At the time, he was a star football player at the University of Oklahoma. Austin suffered from injuries his entire career and always tried to avoid taking prescription opioids. Unfortunately, during the 2010 football season, Austin suffered a ruptured disc. This is the injury his family believes pushed him into prescription drug addiction.

“I’m extremely angry at them [drug manufacturers],” said Craig Box. “When you learn the facts about how the drug companies have systematically flooded this country with prescription drugs and the easy access to them makes me feel extremely angry. Because I know the pain we’ve suffered and purposefully knowing that this is a likely outcome of their actions is corporate greed beyond comprehension.”

Attorney General Mike Hunter has become a national leader in fighting the opioid epidemic. On June 30, 2017, Attorney General Mike Hunter filed suit against the largest opioid manufacturers in the country, citing that these companies knowingly marketed the drugs as safe and downplayed the addictive qualities of the drugs. Oklahoma became the first state in the country to receive a trial date in May 2019.

“Mike Hunter has been relentless in going after the opioid manufacturers,” said Craig Box. “It is not political, it is sincere.”

While Attorney General Mike Hunter has been fighting to save Oklahoma lives, Gentner Drummond has actively attacked the lawsuit and the lead attorneys. Behind closed doors, Drummond has said he would dismantle the lawsuit and he blames the addict, saying, “if they can’t get their stuff together, they need to go to jail.”.

Drummond has also attacked the lead attorneys on the case, Judge Michael Burrage and Reggie Whitten. Both Burrage and Whitten lost family members to the opioid epidemic. When the manufacturers tried to move the case from state to federal court, Drummond defended the companies and said the state’s attorneys made a “rookie mistake.” (https://newsok.com/article/5598825/attorneys-make-impassioned-plea-for-judge-to-reconsider-opioids-ruling)

“Knowing Mike Burrage and Reggie Whitten and those people that have also suffered from this epidemic and what they are also doing, to have them attacked is just morally reprehensible,” said Whitney Box.

“If Gentner Drummond gets into office, I believe this opioid lawsuit will be derailed, it will cost Oklahomans their lives,” said Craig Box. “I think we are facing the greatest health crisis of my lifetime in the state of Oklahoma. And Mike Hunter is trying to do something about it.”

“I greatly appreciate the Box family for telling their story,” said Attorney General Mike Hunter. “I will continue to fight every day to make sure that Oklahoma families do not experience the same tragedy as Austin’s family.”

For more information, visit www.SaveOklahomaLives.com.

Long version of the ad:


1st 30-second spot:


2nd 30-second spot: