City May Sue Opioid Manufacturers
Murphy wants city attorney to consider suit for damages from opioid epidemic.
![Pills by Tom Varco (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.](https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1024px-Lexapro_pills.jpg)
Pills by Tom Varco (Own work) (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
The Milwaukee Common Council will consider a resolution next week to have the city attorney investigate litigation possibilities and potentially file lawsuits against drug companies and manufactures who they believe are responsible for damages brought on by the epidemic. Money from the lawsuits would be used to recover the cost of battling the epidemic.
Alderman Michael Murphy, sponsor of the council resolution, said “addiction has been a costly plague for the city.”
“Any recovery of damages that we may get would be used toward the prevention, education and services to help people stay off or never get on these very addictive drugs,” Murphy said.
Wisconsin and several other municipalities and counties across the state have already filed similar lawsuits.
“Thousands of governmental entities throughout the United States are filing lawsuits against those companies and distributors engaged in marketing prescription opioids,” Murphy said.
Murphy is also the co-chair of Milwaukee’s City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force. The task force recommended the resolution be brought to the common council.
“We’ve examined the cost to our city services, the impact on people’s health and impact of the bottom line of the tax base as a result of the terrible epidemic of opioid addiction in our community,” Murphy said.
Listen to the WPR report here.
Milwaukee Wants To Recover Opioid Epidemic Costs From Drug Companies was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the Opioid Crisis
- Zoning Board Approves Capitol Drive Addiction Treatment Clinic - Isiah Holmes - Jun 5th, 2023
- State Getting $7.5M Settlement From Opioid Addiction Treatment Producer - Sarah Lehr - Jun 3rd, 2023
- Experts Discuss Milwaukee’s Plague of Overdose Deaths - Isiah Holmes - May 30th, 2023
- MKE County: Another Opioid Settlement Anticipated This Year - Graham Kilmer - May 25th, 2023
- Attorney General Kaul Joins Bipartisan Coalition to Protect Communities from the Dangers of Illicit Xylazine - Wisconsin Department of Justice - May 18th, 2023
- State Awards For $8 Million Opioid Addiction - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 28th, 2023
- On The Front Lines of Overdose Crisis - Graham Kilmer - Apr 25th, 2023
- DHS Awards $8 million for Opioid and Stimulant Treatment Service - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 25th, 2023
- Baldwin Joins Bipartisan Effort to Combat Fentanyl Crisis - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Apr 24th, 2023
- MKE County: Milwaukee Wins $45 Million More From Opioid Companies - Graham Kilmer - Apr 17th, 2023
Read more about Opioid Crisis here
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