Idaho counties suing drug makers for enabling opioid abuse

Several Idaho counties are taking their fight against opioid overdoses to the courtroom.

The Idaho Statesman reports the counties are suing the makers of OxyContin, Lortab and other opioids, accusing them of offenses such as fraud, false advertising and racketeering.

Their lawsuits have been consolidated into a case now being overseen by a federal court in Ohio.

In the last two months, counties from Owyhee to Blaine to Bonneville have joined in.

Owyhee County’s commissioners voted Feb. 20 to sue. Commissioner Kelly Aberasturi says he wanted the county to join in a lawsuit “so that the drug companies just don’t go out there to make the almighty dollar; they think about what they’re doing.”

Each of the counties hope to get some compensation for the indirect costs of opioid use.