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posted by cmn32480 on Thursday March 16 2017, @06:38PM   Printer-friendly
from the they-are-supposed-to-be-"controlled"-substances dept.

An American city is suing the maker of OxyContin for its alleged role in fueling the national opioid epidemic:

After spending millions to combat the opioid epidemic ravaging its citizens, the working-class city of Everett, Washington, is taking the maker of opioid painkiller OxyContin to federal court. The city claims that the drug maker, Purdue Pharma, knowingly sold to black markets out of pure greed, enabling the devastating epidemic hitting Everett and the rest of the country.

According to the lawsuit (PDF) filed in federal court in Seattle, Everett accuses Purdue Pharma of "knowingly, recklessly, and/or negligently supplying OxyContin to obviously suspicious physicians and pharmacies and enabling the illegal diversion of OxyContin into the black market, including to drug rings, pill mills, and other dealers for dispersal of the highly addictive pills in Everett." Purdue's goal, Everett alleges, was to "generate enormous profits" at the expense of the people of Everett. [...] "Our community has been significantly damaged, and we need to be made whole," Everett's mayor, Ray Stephanson, told ABC News.

[...] In a statement, Purdue disputed Everett's claims, saying that it did notify the DEA and acted responsibly. "We look forward to presenting the facts in court," the company said. Purdue also said that its opioids now account for less than two percent of US opioid prescriptions.


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  • (Score: 2) by sjames on Thursday March 16 2017, @08:41PM (2 children)

    by sjames (2882) on Thursday March 16 2017, @08:41PM (#480017) Journal

    I doubt very much that they have. It's simply illegal in most places and so can't be prescribed. Even in other places where it is legal, you can bet the DEA is itching for a chance to bust any doctor that dares to prescribe marijuana for any reason.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 16 2017, @09:10PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 16 2017, @09:10PM (#480026)

    They certainly are now:

    “I’m astonished to hear people suggest we can solve our heroin crisis — have you heard this? — by having more marijuana,” Sessions said during a speech to a gathering of law enforcement on Wednesday. “I mean, how stupid is that? Give me a break. So we’re going to have to stand up and confront that, tell the truth here. And our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs is bad, that it will destroy your life.”

    Jeff Sessions, March 15th, 2017 [vox.com]

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 16 2017, @10:36PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 16 2017, @10:36PM (#480076)

      Sessions was also astonished that to hear that people expected him to tell the truth while under oath at his confirmation hearing.