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Tribes sue drug companies over opioid crisis

TACOMA, Wash. — The Port Gamble S'Klallam, Suquamish and the Jamestown S'Klallam tribes have a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies and drug distributors claiming the companies flooded their reservations with deadly opioids.

The Kitsap Sun reports the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma Monday names Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson and others for misleading health care providers and consumers about the dangers of opioids.

It also names distributors such as Cardinal Health, McKesson Corporation and others for failing to account for and control opioids in tribal areas.

The tribes are suing with the intent of joining a series of cases filed by dozens of states, tribes, counties and municipalities which have been consolidated in a federal lawsuit in Ohio.

The drug companies have disputed the allegations.

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