Massachusetts City Suing Opioid Manufacturers and Distributors

GREENFIELD, Mass. (AP) _ The city of Greenfield has filed a federal lawsuit against several distributors and manufacturers of opioid medications, joining a growing list of municipalities and states seeking to recoup costs of dealing with the epidemic.

Greenfield is thought to be the first municipality in Massachusetts to sue opioid makers and distributors. The suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Springfield seeks to ``recoup monies that have been spent because of defendants' false, deceptive and unfair marketing and/or unlawful diversion of prescription opioids.''

Mayor William Martin tells The Recorder he hopes the suit will raise awareness of the extent of the problem locally and help the town cope with the social consequences of the epidemic.

One of the defendants, Purdue Pharma, said in a statement ``We vigorously deny these allegations.''