Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey is suing Purdue Pharma in Kennebec County Superior Court for unfair trade practices in its opioid marketing. The suit filed on Monday also names members of the Sackler family, who own Purdue.
The lawsuit alleges that Purdue Pharma accelerated the opioid epidemic in Maine by misrepresenting the drug’s efficacy and risk of addiction.
In a press release, Frey says the combination of Purdue’s deceptive marketing and relentless sales visits resulted in Maine’s highest-in-the nation prescribing rate for opioids in 2012, with nearly 22 prescriptions for every 100 Mainers.
Frey is seeking a permanent injunction and civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation of the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act.
More than 40 other states and 2,000 local and tribal governments have already filed lawsuits against Purdue for fueling the opioid epidemic.
Originally published June 3, 2019 at 3:40 p.m. ET.
