Cecil County to pursue suits against opioid makers, wholesalers

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Cecil County Government, MD has  retained the Dallas  law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C. to investigate and file litigation against wholesale distributors and manufacturers of prescription opioid medication.

The county has long struggled with addiction issues related to opiates.

“I am very passionate and committed to fighting the opioid problem in Cecil County,” stated County Executive Alan McCarthy.  “The county has selected Baron & Budd because the firm is a leader in large-scale tort litigation that has achieved successful results in large-scale litigation against both big tobacco and prescription drug manufacturers. Cecil County has the means to hold these distributors and manufacturers accountable for their actions and to stop the influx of these powerful drugs. Due to the targeted and concerted action by the opioid distributors and manufacturers, we intend to seek compensation for all damages caused by their callous behavior. We will do so in a very sensible and prudent way, because the County is being represented on a contingent fee basis that guarantees there will be no cost to the County unless the lawsuit results in equitable and/or monetary award or settlement.”    

The purpose of the lawsuit is to seek reimbursement of the costs incurred in the past fighting opioid epidemic and/or recover the funds necessary to abate the health and safety crisis caused by the unlawful conduct of the wholesale distributors.

It has long been claimed that manufacturers knew that that consumption of opiates far exceeded demand indicated in legal prescriptions.

Quoting a white paper prepared by Baron & Budd, P.C., County Attorney Jason Allison points out that “investigation into the operations of both the wholesale distributors and the manufacturers of opioids has shown that these entities have worked hand-in-hand to maximize the number of drugs they have flooded into local communities while completely disregarding their duty to maintain effective controls against diversion and halt suspicious sales of opioids.

According to statistics provided by Raymond Lynn, Cecil County Heroin Coordinator, in Cecil County this year there have been 539 overdoses – 87 percent involving opioids. Of those overdoses, 64 of them resulted in fatalities with 92 percent of the deaths being attributed to opioids. Cecil County has a population of 102,000.

The county sits between drug distribution points in Baltimore and New Castle County, DE.

“The reality is that our officers and emergency services teams are responding to drug-related calls every day. The statistics are frightening. The trauma that is caused to children and families is immeasurable and taking a stand against the opioid distributors is the first step in tackling this problem that is plaguing our County, “ McCarthy stated.