GUILTY AS SIN? –
April 5, 2022 – Florida, led by Attorney General Ashley Moody, contends that Walgreens has been an integral part of the opioid epidemic. As examples of excess, Moody said in a statement that one Walgreens outlet sold 2.2 million opioid tablets in the town of Hudson, Florida, which has about 12,000 residents. Other Walgreens locations, according to the state, increased their orders for opioids by 600% in a two-year period.
“It’s time for Walgreens to face accountability for their part in fueling the opioid crisis, and my team is prepared to vigorously try our strong case against them,” Moody said in a statement.
Walgreens denies the state’s allegations.
The opioid epidemic has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the past two decades, counting those from prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and generic oxycodone as well as illicit drugs such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl.