Serena P. Hallowell and Michael P. Canty discuss responsibility of drug distributors in opioid crisis

Attorneys are starting to file suits against the major corporations that are distributing addictive and pain-killing opioid drugs. They’re pursuing billions of dollars in reimbursements for the damage that these drugs have caused in communities across the map. Numerous cases are on the horizon and are among the first of their kind in the country, accusing corporations of creating a hazard to public health and safety by shipping excessive quantities of opioids into the states.

The lawsuits come as counties and states tackle the economic impact of a prescription-opioid epidemic that has resulted in nearly 180,000 overdose deaths since 2000. The epidemic has also taken a financial toll on several resources, including hospital emergency rooms, jails, and law enforcement agencies, among others.

Partners Serena P. Hallowell and Michael P. Canty recently told The Washington Post that nearly a dozen attorneys general in states that are affected by the epidemic are considering filing lawsuits against the distribution companies. They further explained that the attorneys general are likely planning to seek damages from the distributors for the economic impact the drugs have had on their states.