KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Osceola County has created an ordinance aimed to fight off the opioid crisis, as an increasing number of residents struggle with addiction.

  • Osceola County ordinance calls opioid epidemic a public nuisance
  • Meant to strengthen county's claims in lawsuit with pharmaceutical companies

Tom Gill is all too familiar with the word addiction. He is a recovering alcoholic that's used narcotics as well. This 20-year veteran fell into homelessness and just recently was able to get clean with the help of the non-profit The Transition House.

"When I got here I was broken… Desperate," Gill said.

For county commissioners, it's stories like Gill's that led them to approve an ordinance deeming the opioid epidemic a public nuisance. The ordinance explains that the opioid crisis is one of the greatest challenges that Osceola County is facing.

The ordinance is meant to strengthen a lawsuit Osceola County filed against 20 pharmaceutical companies. The suit points the blame at drugmakers, claiming they're causing the epidemic and that's costing the county money.

Those companies are fighting back. A spokeswoman for one of the businesses being sued, Janssen Pharmaceuticals defended the company's actions, calling them "appropriate and responsible" and saying the allegations are "baseless and unsubstantiated."

But as that plays out, Thomas Griffin, chief executive officer of The Transition House, wants to know how all of this will help the people.

"Should this lawsuit prevail, how does the actual addict get help as a result of this?" Griffin asked.

What will happen with the funds collected if a settlement is reached is something that is still being discussed, said county attorney Andrew Mai.

"Potentially it could be used to defray some of the costs of the jail, to defray the cost of the sheriff,” Mai said. “But it would be entirely up to the county commission. It could go out into the community to help with treatment or other things related that could help with the opioid crisis."

Gill hopes folks like him can see the benefit of this ordinance and lawsuit through more programs like The Transition House. "My family is so happy for me that I am a new person, almost," Gill added.

The county attorney said litigation between Osceola County and these opioid manufacturers could last three to 10 years, unless a settlement is agreed upon sooner.

These are the responses Spectrum News 13 received from the pharmaceutical companies that responded to the lawsuit:

​Janssen Pharmaceuticals:

Our actions in the marketing and promotion of these medicines were appropriate and responsible. The labels for our prescription opioid pain medicines provide information about their risks and benefits, and the allegations made against our company are baseless and unsubstantiated. In fact, our medications have some of the lowest rates of abuse among this class of medications.

Opioid abuse and addiction are serious public health issues that must be addressed. We are committed to being part of the ongoing dialogue and to doing our part to find ways to address this crisis.

Jessica Castles Smith
Spokesperson
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Purdue Pharma:

“We are deeply troubled by the opioid crisis and we are dedicated to being part of the solution. As a company grounded in science, we must balance patient access to FDA-approved medicines, while working collaboratively to solve this public health challenge. Although our products account for approximately 2% of the total opioid prescriptions, as a company, we’ve distributed the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, developed the first FDA-approved opioid medication with abuse-deterrent properties and partner with law enforcement to ensure access to naloxone. We vigorously deny these allegations and look forward to the opportunity to present our defense.”

John Puskar
Director, Public Affairs
Purdue Pharma L.P.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries:

"Teva is committed to the appropriate use of opioid medicines, and we recognize the critical public health issues impacting communities across the U.S. as a result of illegal drug use as well as the misuse and abuse of opioids that are available legally by prescription. To that end, we take a multi-faceted approach to this complex issue;  we work to educate communities and healthcare providers on appropriate medicine use and prescribing, we comply closely with all relevant federal and state regulations regarding these medicines, and, through our R&D pipeline, we are developing non-opioid treatments that have the potential to bring relief to patients in chronic pain. Teva also collaborates closely with other stakeholders, including providers and prescribers, regulators, public health officials and patient advocates, to understand how to prevent prescription drug abuse without sacrificing patients’ needed access to pain medicine."

Kaelan Hollon
Sr. Director, Communications
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries