The state of Florida is suing Walgreens and CVS, two of the largest national drugstore chains, over a failure to properly address the demand and supply of opioids into Florida. State Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office announced that it had added the two companies to the state’s ongoing lawsuit against OxyContin producers and distributors.
In a memo released to the public, Attorney General Bondi alleged that CVS and Walgreens contributed to the opioid crisis. Her office noted frequent failures to stop suspicious orders of opioids, as well as a willingness to distribute “unreasonable” amounts of opioids from their pharmacies. The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants worked in concert with each other to expand the supply and demand of the opioid market in order to generate higher profits nationwide.
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In Florida between the years of 2006 and 2014, CVS alone distributed more than 700 million doses of opioids. Since 2006, Walgreens gave out billions of doses of opioids, with individual stores distributing millions in that time frame. The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that 2,798 Floridians died of opioid-related overdoses in 2016. Nationwide, the number of opioid overdose deaths came out to over 42,000.
Federal and state government officials have made fighting the opioid crisis a major priority in the last decade. According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 45 people suffer fatal overdoses on opioids a day, making the need for immediate and strong action even more necessary. Florida has joined states such as Delaware and Kentucky in filing lawsuits against the national brands for their shortcomings in addressing the opioids crisis.
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Unfortunately, the facts of opioid abuse and overdose make the likelihood of you or a loved one encountering opioid abuse higher. Some of the most important things you can do when faced with this crisis is to seek professional help. There are multiple free online resources that can help connect individuals with proper care and support, such as the National Drug Helpline.
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If you or a loved one suffered a severe injury due to the opioid crisis, a compassionate and skilled attorney could make the difference in seeking damages from negligent parties. Our legal team is ready to support you through this process, and we encourage you to contact us today.
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