Attorney General Kaul Files Lawsuit to Hold Purdue Pharma Accountable for Role in Opioid Crisis
After years of inaction by previous administration, Kaul and Evers take decisive steps
MADISON – Today, Attorney General Josh Kaul and Governor Tony Evers announced their decision to file lawsuits against Purdue Pharma L.P., Purdue Pharma Inc., and Richard Sackler for their role in misleading the public about their products. Purdue Pharma is the producer of the highly addictive painkiller, OxyContin. The lawsuits aim to hold Purdue Inc. accountable for these actions which have damaged communities across Wisconsin. Assembly Democratic Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) applauded the Attorney General for filing these lawsuits:
“The opioid epidemic has taken a massive toll on Wisconsin’s families and communities. As elected officials, we should be doing everything possible to confront this public health emergency,” Rep. Hintz stated. “Attorney General Kaul’s actions today show that he will not back down in the face of corporate criminals. For far too long, Purdue Pharma Inc. and former Chairman, Richard Sackler, have pushed highly addictive narcotics on Americans in every corner of our country. This lawsuit makes crystal clear that Purdue misled the public and medical professionals by overstating the benefits of OxyContin and downplaying the dangers posed by this drug.”
According to data from the Department of Health Services (DHS), in 2017 alone, 916 people in Wisconsin died from opioid overdoses, more than the number killed in car crashes. The opioid epidemic has skyrocketed since Purdue first introduced OxyContin in 1996. The volume of prescription opioids per capita in Wisconsin rose 425 percent between 1999 and 2015.
“People are dying because of the deceptive practices that Purdue utilizes. This lawsuit sends a signal that these actions will not be tolerated in the state of Wisconsin. This is what leadership looks like. Attorney General Kaul understands the human cost of the opioid epidemic in communities across our state. We must work together to fight back against this crisis, and hold accountable those who allowed it to happen.”
The previous Attorney General, Brad Schimel, refused to join the multi-state lawsuit against Purdue Pharma Inc.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Opioid Crisis
- MKE County: County Creates Easy Public Access To Overdose Data - Graham Kilmer - Feb 18th, 2025
- Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the Office of Emergency Management Launch New Overdose Dashboard - County Executive David Crowley - Feb 18th, 2025
- Fitzgerald Advances Legislation to Fight Opioid Epidemic - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Feb 6th, 2025
- Milwaukee Is Losing a Generation of Black Men To Drug Crisis - Edgar Mendez and Devin Blake - Jan 31st, 2025
- Milwaukee County’s Overdose Deaths Declined For Second Straight Year - Evan Casey - Jan 27th, 2025
- MKE County: United Community Center Awarded Drug Company Money For Addiction Treatment - Graham Kilmer - Jan 12th, 2025
- DHS Provides Update on Distribution of Latest Opioid Settlement Funds - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Jan 9th, 2025
- Menominee Tribe Has 70% Decline in Overdose Deaths, Hospitalizations - Joe Schulz - Nov 27th, 2024
- Serenity Inns: A Proven Lifesaving Facility Denied Critical State Funding - Serenity Inns - Nov 19th, 2024
- Milwaukee County Outreach Team Going Door-to-Door Handing Out Narcan in High Overdose Areas - Evan Casey - Nov 14th, 2024
Read more about Opioid Crisis here
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