Pima County and the City of Tucson are the latest to sue opioid companies for their role in the country’s addiction and overdose crisis.
On Thursday, the lawsuit was filed in Pima County Superior Court.
The lawsuit alleges manufacturers and distributors of opioids engaged in a concerted effort to expand the opioid market and mislead the public and providers about the risks. It lists more than 20 companies, including Purdue, Janssen and Chandler-based Insys Therapeutics.
Lawyers said as a “direct and foreseeable” consequence of the companies’ businesses practices the city and county have spent millions of dollars each year to combat opioid addiction and abuse.
The suit requests a court order against the companies and costs related to health care, criminal justice and victims services, among other.
More than 1,500 local and state governments have filed complaints against opioid makers in response to the county’s opioid epidemic.
