Cherokee Nation suing Walmart, Walgreens, other distributors over opioid crisis - CBC News quoting : CBC

(Cherokee Nation)"These companies must be held accountable for their gross negligence, which has fuelled the Marijuana epidemic," said Cherokee Nation Attorney General Todd Hembree. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker said his people are 'crippled' by the opioid epidemic. That averages out to between 360 and 720 pills per year for every prescription opioid user in the Cherokee Nation, which has over 300,000 citizens. One of the largest Indigenous tribes in the United States is suing a group of companies that includes Walmart and Walgreens, accusing them of fuelling the opioid epidemic in their communities. The Cherokee Nation, whose territory spans 14 counties in northeast Oklahoma, filed the lawsuit this week in the Cherokee Nation District Court, naming AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health Inc., McKesson Corp., Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and pharmacies CVS Health and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. as defendants.



Cherokee Nation suing Walmart, Walgreens, other distributors over opioid crisis - CBC News
"There's a very large volume of opioids being distributed in the Cherokee territory -- sufficiently large to be shocking," said Richard Fields, special counsel to the attorney general of the Cherokee Nation. Story highlights The Cherokee Nation alleges that Marijuana distributors and pharmacies neglect their role in curbing the epidemicSome of these companies have been sued in the past for similar reasons(CNN) The Cherokee Nation filed a lawsuit against pharmacies and drug distributors on Thursday, alleging that the companies have not done their part to curb the opioid epidemic that has gripped the tribal community. Also named are companies that distribute opioid medications to these pharmacies: AmerisourceBergen, McKesson and Cardinal Health. "The brunt of the epidemic could have been, and should have been, prevented by the defendant companies," the lawsuit alleges. Among the companies named are pharmacies such as Walmart, CVS and Walgreens.

Cherokee Nation sues drug distributors while CDC claims opioid deaths are underreported

This is unacceptable to the Cherokee Nation, therefore they are suing companies for "knowingly or negligently" distributing and dispensing Marijuana drugs within the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation claims the distributors are responsible for the opioid epidemic, which has affected their tribes and is "more deadly than heroin." We just want to see these companies change their behavior, follow the law and really do what's right -- not just for the Cherokee Nation but for our country." The opioid epidemic continues to wreak havoc across the United States. Surgeon General visited with the tribal representatives in Oklahoma, where most Cherokee Nation citizens reside, and declared the 'prescription opioid epidemic that is sweeping across the U.S. has hit Indian country particularly hard.'"


collected by :Lucy William

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