https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE Expo
    • Calendar of Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Administration


Article

Washington city sues OxyContin maker

Washington city sues OxyContin maker

In an unprecedented case, Everett, Wash., is suing opioid maker Purdue Pharma on allegations that the company knowingly let its opioids freely flow in the city's black market.
  • Written by Jason Axelrod
  • 20th March 2017

In an unprecedented case, Everett, Wash., is suing opioid maker Purdue Pharma on allegations that the company knowingly let its opioids freely flow in the city's black market.  

The lawsuit alleges that the drugmaker knowingly supplied OxyContin to suspicious pharmacies and doctors — letting the drug enter city’s black market — without taking any measures to stop it, according to the Associated Press. Accusing Purdue Pharma of gross negligence and nuisance, the lawsuit alleges that the company must pay for damages that it caused the community.

"Purdue needs to be held accountable for not taking the action they should have taken, that allowed drugs to hit these streets and make addicts of many of my citizens," Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, in office since 2003, told NBC News.

A 2015 Snohomish County (Wash.) Health District report shows that Oxycodone and Hydrocodone overdoses in the county had risen until 2008, then sharply decreased due to drug reformulations and tighter regulations. However, heroin-related overdoses began increasing in the county between 2010 and 2012. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists OxyContin as a potent opioid that is widely available, with high rates of misuse and abuse. 

“Although an individual would need a prescription to legally purchase and use OxyContin medicinally, this drug can be easily obtained through illicit channels. The high volume of OxyContin supply available to the public, and the discrepancy between the fair and black market value of the medicine, contributes to diversion, illicit sale, and abuse of OxyContin,” the FDA’s entry on OxyContin reads.

Stephenson said the opioid crisis in Everett has affected several city departments, NBC reports. Public works employees clean up trash and discarded needles on one street three times a week, which cost the city $160,000 last year. Everett has also introduced a new police task force that pairs a social worker with an officer to steer homeless addicts towards treatment.

"The majority of them want help," Everett police officer Kevin Davis told NBC. "But not having the facilities available, the detox beds open, the stuff they need to get into right away, poses the problem." 

The lawsuit was initially filed in January and is now being heard at a federal court in Seattle, the AP reports. Everett’s lawsuit is the first to accuse the pharmaceutical company of knowing its drugs were flowing into the black market, but did nothing to stop it, NBC reports. However, other states and municipalities have filed lawsuits against Purdue Pharma that accuse it of deceptive marketing.

Purdue Pharma has previously paid $19.5 million in fines from a multi-state lawsuit, Ars Technica reports. In 2015, it agreed to pay the state of Kentucky $24 million as part of a case settlement.

In a statement provided to NBC, Purdue Pharma claimed the city “paints a flawed and inaccurate portrayal of events that led to the crisis in Everett."

_____________

To get connected and stay up-to-date with similar content from American City & County:
Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on YouTube

Tags: Administration News Public Safety Article

Most Recent


  • disasters
    10 Safest Cities from Natural Disasters
    September is National Preparedness Month, which helps to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies. This year’s theme is “Take Control in 1,2,3,” focusing on preparing older adults for disasters, specifically those that live in areas impacted by all-hazard events. As a way to mark National Preparedness Month, Gutter Gnome recently […]
  • Advocacy organizations call for congressional action ahead of looming federal shutdown
    The political spat that’s frozen congressional action on the budget, potentially leading to a government shutdown if an agreement isn’t reached by midnight Saturday, could create ripple effects felt far beyond the jurisdictional lines of the United States Capitol. If a shutdown happens, ‘nonessential’ federal government functions would hault. Federal employees wouldn’t receive paychecks. Benefits […]
  • How governments can help older adults age in place during a housing crisis
    As a shortage of 6.5 million homes confronts the nation, the population of the U.S. skews increasingly older. The lack of affordable housing, compounded with the growing population of Americans over age 65, means that older adults who desire to age in place are finding it much more difficult to stay in their communities. The […]
  • Report: Younger employees working in public service are stressed over their jobs, worried about debt
    The COVID-19 pandemic pushed many older workers out of their public service jobs and into early retirement—contributing to the start of the ongoing ‘great resignation’ economic trend while leaving a knowledge gap that’s not easy for younger generations to fill. New research from the MissionSquare Research Group sheds light on the experiences of these younger […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Lessons from your friendly neighborhood public service employees
  • Harris County deploys next-generation security in 150 public buildings
  • How local governments can get ahead of the infrastructure wave: Strategies to mitigate risk
  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery

White papers


7 Resources to Level-up Your Federal Grants Administration and Compliance

5th September 2023

Elevator Phone Line Replacement Strategy | A Guide to Reliable, Code-Compliant Solutions

29th August 2023

2023 State of Public Sourcing Report: The Bright Future of Public Procurement

23rd August 2023
view all

Webinars


Grant Preparedness: Unlocking Funding Opportunities for Your Success

10th August 2023

2023 State of Public Sourcing: Taking Local Governments into a Bright Future

1st August 2023

Stop Playing with Fire: How to Manage Infrastructure Asset Risk So You Know You’re Covered

20th June 2023
view all

PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


10 Safest Cities from Natural Disasters

29th September 2023

Gallery: Hottest temperatures recorded in American cities during July

12th September 2023

The top 10 Asthma Capitals for 2023

7th September 2023
view all

Twitter


Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.