City of Memphis sues pharmaceutical companies for opioid crisis

The City of Memphis has filed a federal lawsuit against a group of more than 20 opioid drug manufacturers and distributors, accusing them of fueling the addiction crisis plaguing the community, according to court records. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee on Thursday. The suit asks the court to order the companies to pay the city for “past and future costs” of problems created by the opioid epidemic, which the city alleges the companies helped create through deceptive marketing. “Opioid addiction is ravaging Memphis,” the complaint reads. “The economic damages were foreseeable to defendants and were caused by defendants’ actions.” The 146-page complaint doesn’t list an exact amount the city is seeking, but the city said it spends millions each year to help Memphians affected by opioids. The suit accuses the drug-makers and distributors of violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.