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City of Vancouver Files Lawsuit Against Major Opioid Producers, Suppliers

The city of Vancouver has filed a lawsuit against major opioid producers and suppliers, joining a long list of cities seeking restitution for the drug’s impact on their communities.

The Columbian reports the lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court in Tacoma names the Sackler family, owners of OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma, as well as Johnson & Johnson and pharmacy Walgreens Co.

The suit says the opioid manufacturers and distributors knew how addictive drugs like OxyContin were, and pushed misleading marketing campaigns.

The suit says between 2002-2004 and 2011-2013, the number of opioid-use treatment admissions within Vancouver’s Clark County rose 246.1%.

Last month, Purdue Pharma reached a tentative settlement with 23 states and over 2,000 cities and counties, including Clark County, that would see the Sacklers pay roughly $3 billion and relinquish control of the company.

Related:

• Facing Thousands of Opioid Lawsuits, Purdue Pharma Files for Bankruptcy Protection
• Purdue Pharma Floats $10-$12 Billion Opioid Settlement: Reuters