State Of Tennessee Sues Walgreens

Tennessee’s Atty. General is suing Walgreens saying that the well known pharmacy contributed to the states’ opioid crisis. Atty. General Herbert Slatery filed the lawsuit this week in Knox County court. The lawsuit claims Walgreens has failed to “maintain effective controls against abuse and diversion,” and has therefore contributed to the opioid crisis. Slatery in the lawsuit states that in the 14 year period between 2006-2020, Walgreens dispensed more than 1.1 billion oxycodone and hydrocodone pills. Estimates from the attorney general’s office found that that would equate to distributing about 175 of those pills for every man, woman and child in Tennessee. The lawsuit states that Walgreens “added to the fire of the opioid epidemic as the result of knowing—or willfully ignorant—corporate decisions. Walgreens ignored numerous red flags and failed to detect and prevent the abuse and diversion of dangerous narcotics.”

The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and civil penalties against Walgreens. Slatery’s office states the company, which operates between 200-300 stores in the state including one here in Newport, violated the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, the state’s public nuisance statute and created a common law nuisance through its actions.