The Fentress County Commissioners took the next step in a lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturers Monday night by declaring opioids a public nuisance.
County Executive J. Michael Cross said it’s the opioid crisis has gotten out of hand across the state.
“We just wanted to be sure that we passed a resolution to that effect,” Cross said.
Fentress, one of 14 counties in East Tennessee, that filed suit last October against Purdue Pharma L.P., Mallinckrodt LLC, Endo Health Solutions Inc, and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. The five East Tennessee district attorneys who filed the suit said the companies misrepresented the drugs as non-addictive.
The counties are seeking monetary damages from the companies.
