Mecklenburg County Plans To Sue Prescription Drug Manufacturers and Distributors Amidst Opioid Crisis

MECKLENBURG COUNTY– Mecklenburg County is now taking action to fight the growing opioid crisis. It’s joining hundreds of counties around the United States to sue prescription drug manufacturers and distributors.

Attorneys representing Mecklenburg County sent WCCB this statement that reads in part: “Mecklenburg County in bringing litigation against a number of pharmaceutical companies over their aggressive and fraudulent marketing of prescription opioid painkillers that has led to a drug epidemic in both in Mecklenburg County and throughout the nation.”

“Those folks unfortunaley can never be made whole through a lawsuit. But maybe we can bring suit and recover some damages and try to help a family down the road not encounter this kind of problem,” says Mecklenburg County Commissioner Matthew Ridenhour.

That’s why Mecklenburg County is joining several North Carolina counties in this lawsuit. The suit has not been filed yet. Ridenhour says hiring legal representation, is huge. He says the next steps will be investigating the impact drug manufactures had on Mecklenburg County.

“What we’re hoping to do is bring forward this suit and recover damages and Mecklenburg county can use those dollars to then invest in education, prevention, and rehabilitation.”

Ridenhour says this epidemic is hitting every corner of our community.

“The people who have been effected by this, they come from all walks of life, they live in all the zip codes in Mecklenburg county who have been effected by the opioid epidemic.”

Addiction treatment centers in our area hope if the county wins, it will lead to more resources here.

“Well we are seeing an uptick certainly in the community, we’re seeing evidence of fentanyl and fentanyl derivatives,” says President of McLeod Addictive Disease Center Mary Ward.

Commissioner Ridenhour says the timeline is unclear for when exactly the suit will be filed.