Yadkin County Sues Drug Makers Over Opioid Crisis

Yadkin County has joined a growing list of municipalities across the country that are suing drug companies over the public-health crisis of opioid addiction, and the filing gives insight into the local impact of the abuse.

According to the complaint, Yadkin county officials say opioids have caused serious damage: 65 opiate-related deaths in the last nine years. In 2015, three of the five deaths were from prescription opiates, not heroin.

And the rate that doctors prescribed the drugs in Yadkin outpaced the national average by roughly 10 percent, according to the court filing.

“We know this will not be an easy or quick process, but we feel it is critical to do so if there is any way to end this crisis that is impacting so many individuals and families,” Kevin Austin, chairman of the county board of commissioners, says in a statement released Friday.

Statewide, the opioid crisis has led to increased deaths, hospitalizations and the number of kids placed in foster homes.

The lawsuit names more than 20 pharmaceutical companies as plaintiffs, and argues they haven't done enough to keep the drugs from flowing into the local black market.

Yadkin's lawsuit represents only their side of the case. It was filed Friday, so there hasn't been a legal response yet from the defendants.