The state of Florida is joining in a lawsuit against big pharma for their role in the opioid epidemic. The city of Sarasota recently joined Manatee County and other municipalities nationwide by filing a lawsuit against drug manufacturers. The Florida Medical Examiners Commission’s annual drug report, released in November, reveals 5,725 people died of complications of taking opioids in the state in 2016, a 35% increase compared to 2015. Bondi believes pharmaceutical companies are partly to blame for the state’s opioid problem, which is why she said she’s preparing to file a lawsuit against drug manufacturers.
