Opioid abuse has been declared a public health crisis in Wisconsin, and the reality is that anyone can develop a problem with opioids. Addiction affects people from all walks of life, and courts are gradually coming to realize that they can’t simply incarcerate the problem away.
In fact, efforts are underway not only to provide more rehabilitation and resources to people struggling with addiction; multiple counties in Wisconsin are planning to sue pharmaceutical companies for their role in causing the epidemic.
As many as 60 counties across the state are expected to participate in the proposed lawsuit against drug makers.
The lawsuit argues that the pharmaceutical companies lied about the addictive qualities of prescription opioids, resulting in over-prescribing by doctors. However, some critics of the lawsuit say that it doesn’t go far enough and that politicians and doctors should also be sued.
Regardless of the outcome of civil proceedings, people arrested for prescription drug offenses still face the possibility of serious penalties handed down in criminal court.
Just because courts have begun to take into account the need for drug rehabilitation does not rule out the possibility of a conviction, particularly in cases involving allegations of drug trafficking or drug distribution.
If you have been arrested for an alleged drug crime, you need to mount your best defense against the charge. You don’t have to go through the legal process alone. Talk to an experienced criminal defense lawyer about your full range of options, including the possibility of having the charges reduced or dismissed.