Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Hawaii joins states suing OxyContin maker
By News Release @ 3:21 AM :: 4215 Views :: Health Care, Drugs

HAWAII ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES OPIOID MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS.

News Release from Hawaii Attorney General, June 3, 2019

HONOLULU – Attorney General Clare E. Connors today filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma, its related entities, and certain key executives, as well as against other opioid manufacturers and distributors Malinkrodt PLC, Endo Health Solutions, Inc., Actavis PLC, McKesson Corporation, AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation, and their related entities seeking damages and penalties for alleged violations of Hawaii’s Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices Law.

The opioid problem has affected the entire nation, and the State of Hawaii has not been spared. In Hawaii, opioid deaths, hospitalizations, and treatment services have risen significantly over the last several years. These lawsuits, in addition to the important work of the opioid task force, are a necessary part of the State’s reaction to the problem.

“The opioid epidemic is a national tragedy, and those who caused this problem should be held accountable,” said Attorney General Connors. “We will aggressively litigate this case to ensure that Hawaii’s taxpayers are not alone in shouldering this burden.”

The first complaint alleges that Purdue Pharma, its related entities, and certain members of the Sackler family who owned, controlled, and individually acted on behalf of Purdue misrepresented and deceptively marketed Oxycontin and other opioids manufactured by Purdue. The second complaint alleges that a number of manufacturers and distributors sold and distributed far larger quantities of opioids than they knew could be legitimately prescribed and did so without timely notification to authorities as required by state and federal laws, materially contributing to the opioid crisis in Hawaii. Both suits allege that the defendants sought to profit by creating a market for opioids, by overstating the benefits of opioid use for chronic pain while failing to disclose the risks of dependence and abuse. The suits allege that these acts constituted unfair and deceptive acts, which under Hawaii State law can yield civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.  The State also seeks punitive damages.

The State is being represented by the Honolulu law firm of Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks, and the Dallas law firm of Baron & Budd, who have been retained to act as special deputy attorneys general in the matter.

In addition to the lawsuits filed by the State of Hawaii, Attorney General Karl Racine of the District of Columbia, Attorney General Xavier Becerra of the State of California, and Attorney General Aaron Frey of the State of Maine each filed individual suits against Purdue Pharma today. These states join more than 40 others, and about 2,000 local and tribal governments, that have filed lawsuits against Purdue for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic.

# # #

SA: Hawaii joins 40-plus states suing OxyContin maker over opioid epidemic

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT