LYNN — The City of Lynn has elected to join a class action lawsuit against the Sackler family’s Purdue Pharma and eight other opioid manufacturers.
The Massachusetts General Attorney’s Office announced a settlement with Purdue Pharma in January, where up to $108 million in funds will be distributed to the state. Attorney General Andrea Campbell urged municipalities to sign on to the lawsuit to maximize the impact of funds.
“Since 2009, 20,000 Massachusetts lives have been lost to opioid related deaths. Families have been ravaged and ripped apart, and far too many have lost their lives or their purpose. Almost all of us have a loved one or someone in our community who has been affected by this crisis,” Campbell said during an information session on Sept. 4.
She added, “No amount of money will bring back a loved one. There is no perfect solution to this highly complex issue. The settlements we are asking you to sign on to are dollars that serve as compensation for insurmountable pain and suffering these companies have caused. These funds are representative of what people have lost, fought for, and means to prevent further pain in the future.”
Mayor Jared Nicholson described Lynn’s plans to participate in the settlement.
“We have been severely impacted by the opioid crisis over the years here in Lynn. Hundreds of emergency calls, constant needle littering, and most importantly, the need for treatment and prevention to save lives. We have signed on, and we’re glad we did,” he said.
Lynn has taken previous measures when it comes to opioid abatement, treatment, prevention, and recovery. The Opioid Working Group is a committee that is responsible for making recommendations to the city regarding the expenditures of previous Municipal Abatement Funds.
These funds have been allocated to causes such as Lynn Calm, which is an independent, unarmed police alternative with a focus on substance abuse. Other initiatives include accessible Narcan, grants for housing for people in recovery, medications to assist with treatment, and summer jobs for at-risk youth.
“The more municipalities that sign on, the more money the state gets, and the more money we all get,” Nicholson said of the lawsuit.
On Tuesday, City Council unanimously voted to authorize Nicholson to execute all necessary documents in order to participate in and effectuate the settlement.
“Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers are probably the largest offenders of the opioid epidemic. Per our outside attorneys, they are strongly electing the city to participate in the settlement,” Assistant City Solicitor James Lamanna said.
Lamanna added, “This funding would come directly to the city. It is earmarked to fight the opioid epidemic.”
It is not currently known how much funding Lynn will receive from the Purdue Pharma settlement at this time.
