MONDAY NIGHT WAS THE FIRST SUCH
COMPLAINT LODGED WITH CURRENT
MANAGEMENT AGAINST LAUER.
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE
OPIOID ABUSE AND ADDICTION IN
MINNESOTA TOOK ON A NEW FACE
TODAY.
SEVERAL COUNTY ATTORNEYS
ANNOUNCED THEY ARE FILING CIVIL
LAWSUITS AGAINST THE
MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS
OF OPIOIDS.
ANGELA DAVIS IS IN OUR NEWSROOM
WITH THE DETAILS.
Reporter: YES, IN THE LAST
YEAR WE'VE LEARNED SO MUCH
ABOUT HOW ADDICTIVE PAIN
MEDICATIONS THAT ARE OPIATE-
BASED CAN BE AND HOW THERE IS A
CORRELATION BETWEEN
PRESCRIPTION PILL USE AND
EVENTUALLY HEROIN ABUSE.
TODAY THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS FROM
RAMSEY, HENNEPIN, WASHINGTON,
MAUERER AND ST. LOUIS COUNTIES
ALL STOOD WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
LEADERS TO ANNOUNCE THEY'RE
GOING AFTER ONE OF THE SOURCES
OF THE PROBLEMS.
THEY'RE GOING AFTER THE
COMPANIES THAT MANUFACTURE AND
DISTRIBUTE THE DRUGS.
THEY ACCUSE THEM OF FALSE
ADVERTISING AND FRAUD AND
NEGLIGENT DISTRIBUTION TO
DOCTORS SAYING THEY KNOWINGLY
CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRISIS.
THEY SAY THEIR ACTIONS ARE
DESTROYING LIVES AND COUNTIES
AND FAMILIES ARE PAYING THE
PRICE.
WHAT WE SEEK IS
ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESTITUTION.
THIS ISN'T A MONEY GRAB.
THIS IS ASK THEM TO HELP US PAY
FOR THE CRISIS THEY PUT IN OUR
LAPS.
THIS IS AFFECTING THE BABIES
IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE NEONATAL ABSTINENCE
SYNDROME.
BABIES ARE BEING BORN ADDICTED
TO THESE DRUGS.
THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS WANT
THE MARKETING PRACTICES TO
CHANGE AND THEY WANT MONEY TO
HELP THEIR COUNTIES RECOVER THE
COST THAT COME FROM LAW
ENFORCEMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES,
AS WELL AS MEDICAL CARE FOR
PATIENTS.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY THERE ARE
ABOUT 70 SIMILAR LAWSUITS
