COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE WORKSHOP ON OPIOID CRISIS
Washington County Commissioners heard a presentation this (Tuesday) morning on the opioid crisis facing our country and a possible way for the county to recover its costs associated with it. Attorneys Craig Brown and Tim Cappolino from the Cappolino Dodd Krebs Law Firm talked to the commissioners about the crisis and how their law firm could file a lawsuit on behalf of the county against the large pharmaceutical companies. They explained that more people in America today use opioids than tobacco. Commissioner Kirk Hanath asked how the county calculates what the crisis is costing. Cappolino explained that with the county’s help, they could estimate the costs to law enforcement, judicial, EMS, health care, and child and family services. Hanath asked about what the compensation to the law firm would be. Cappolino explained that that is set by the state at 25 percent or a rate based on the number of hours spent on the case. County Judge John Brieden said that this law firm was the first to contact the county about filing suit, and that other firms have also asked to be considered. Today’s meeting was a workshop to gather facts only, so no action was taken.
This is an interesting approach. Something has to be done to shut the supply of prescription opioid pain killers down. As I understand it, our pharma and medical industry push the opioids under the premise of pain management. And pain is according to the “experts” and our legislative friends, what the future or current addict says it is. After all, lots of money to be made to keep those drugs flowing to the millions willing to pay to get the legal fix.
So often we see the legal system used these days to run down good businesses, schools, and our Christian culture. May not be such a bad idea to put it to good use on occasion. If successful, it may provide the teeth needed to reshape the pain management scheme and put some much needed restraints on an inconsiderate pharma (for keeping a large supply and pushing it) and the doctors (the end pusher, often being compensated in some way by pharma). Much like pot, these opioids are a useful tool of pushers to eventually introduce people to heavier drugs.
Our tax dollars are used to clean up the mess again and again left by the drug trade, narco-culture, home grown meth, and poly-pharma, etc. If a doctor or pharmaceutical company are perpetuating this, maybe they do need to be run out of business. Maybe this is a case where it’s better not to have their services entirely if it means we have permanently cleaned up a big part of the drug problem in our country.
Always question your medical professionals, know what they are giving you and why. They are not the infallible followers of the Hippocratic oath you think they are.
how in the heck did they get to even giving this person their time. nothing but a money grab and more frivolous lawsuits that are already causing the cost of medication to go through the roof. Please dont buy into this garbage.
Sounds like a law firm looking for a large pay day and seeking what they consider and easy battleground. Washington County is by no means West Virginia or Baltimore, Maryland, where the crisis is raging full bore. Hopefully the commissioners don’t fall for the money grab attempt
I’m curious how the lawyer will prove that Washington County has an Opiod problem? I’m curious to know why the lawyer is not going after doctors? Doctors are the ones who prescribe the drug and abused it not the Pharmaceutical companies.