“At first glance, this proposed settlement and punishment does not seem to fit the crime.  Purdue Pharma, creator of OxyContin, is only one of several big pharma companies who have reaped billions in profits while recklessly causing pointless addiction and hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths throughout our country. We need to remain vigilant and continue our fight to hold all involved accountable for their part in the destruction of our communities caused by the opioid crisis.

“With that being said, I plan to review this settlement further with my counsel, Motley Rice, while I am in Washington, D.C. for an Opioid Taskforce Meeting of the County Executives of America, of which I am the Chair. Our efforts in filing federal lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors played a significant role in today’s announcement. Moving forward, we will continue to devote all necessary resources towards our litigation to ensure justice for all the families that lost loved ones as a direct result of the horrific acts of Big Pharma.”