Six months after Multnomah County filed a $250 million lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers, the Portland City Council unanimously decided to also take legal action.
The City Council on Wednesday directed the Portland City Attorney to sue opioid manufacturers and distributors to recover the funds it has expended fighting the opioid crisis.
“Three Oregonians die every week due to prescription opioids, and cities like Portland are on the front lines,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a written statement. “Drug manufacturers must be held accountable for their products, and I’m proud of our community for taking a stand against this epidemic.”
On Tuesday, the Clark County Council in Washington also voted to retain a law firm to sue opioid manufacturers and distributors, adding to growing list of cities and counties that are suing the industry.
Drug makers recently tried to move Multnomah County’s lawsuit from state circuit court to U.S. District Court, as a precursor to the case being consolidated with 200 similar lawsuits pending in Ohio. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Jelderks, however, sent that lawsuit back to state court.
The city of Portland plans to file its lawsuit in federal court, where it will likely to transferred to the multi-district litigation in Ohio, the city announced.
