Washington is suing Johnson & Johnson over the opioid epidemic. The state says the company and its subsidiaries aided the epidemic by supplying the raw ingredients for making pain meds such as oxycodone.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson says Johnson & Johnson deceptively marketed the painkillers and increased use of the drugs. He says the human toll has been staggering.
“The epidemic has strained Washington’s health care system,” Ferguson told reporters at a news conference Thursday.
Ferguson says the state is seeking damages and civil penalties in the millions. He says the money would be targeted to fund education and treatment and stem the damage caused by the opioid epidemic.
Johnson & Johnson has not responded to a request for comment.
In 2017, Ferguson filed a suit that is still ongoing against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma. He also has sued the three largest distributors of opioids.
