LEGISLATION

Ren in Legislation
August 27, 2023

Can Washington’s New Drug Policy Improve Access to Addiction Treatment?

Washington State recently passed a law making it easier for drug addicts to access treatment without facing criminal punishment for possession infractions. Yet, unlike similar Oregon legislation passed last year, the Washington law does not legalize drugs or decriminalize possession.

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Ren in Legislation
April 14, 2023

Pharma Executives Now Face Jail Time for their Role in the Opioid Epidemic

News reports and Justice Department press releases show two prominent pharmaceutical company executives are facing jail time for their role in causing the opioid epidemic.

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Ren in Legislation
February 11, 2023

Kroger, Albertsons, and Rite Aid Latest Pharmacies Under Fire for Their Role in the Opioid Epidemic

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed suit against Kroger, Albertsons, and Rite Aid for failing to act as a final barrier to halt the spread of addictive opioids into Washington communities. This move marks the latest effort to hold pharma giants accountable for the products they made and distributed that ultimately created what may be America’s worst-ever addiction epidemic.

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Ren in Legislation
December 20, 2022

New York Next in Line to Settle Opioid Case with Big Pharma

Over the past few years, dozens of lawsuits have culminated in major pharmaceutical companies being held at least somewhat accountable for creating America’s crippling opioid addiction epidemic. Most recently, New York State settled a $524 million lawsuit with Teva Pharmaceuticals. While the lawsuit is a monumental step in the right direction, it’s even more important that those who suffer from opioid addiction receive proper treatment.

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Ren in Legislation
May 25, 2022

Does Removing Criminal Penalties for Drug Use Lead to More Drug Use?

Does it really make sense to blanket legalize drugs? On the other hand, does it really make sense to continue the War on Drugs? Or is it possible that leaving some penalties in place but altering or lessening them if treatment is completed might be more effective than either blanket legalization of drugs or ruthlessly throwing people in jail for drug use?

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Ren in Legislation
February 28, 2022

Washington State Takes Big Pharma to Trial

In a rare turn of events, Washington State has decided to move away from proposed settlements with pharma giants and instead take several corporations to trial for the role they played in creating the opioid epidemic.

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KH
Karen Hadley in Legislation
February 6, 2022

A First-Hand Account of The Empire of Pain

For anyone touched by America’s opioid epidemic and anyone who has followed the development of this crisis, as I have, Patrick Radden Keefe’s new book adds to our knowledge of the steps that must be taken to heal from our crisis of drugs abuse and overdoses.

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Ren in Legislation
February 4, 2022

Criminal Acts: How Pharma Companies Pushed Drugs They Knew Were Addictive and Dangerous

The Sackler Family and Purdue Pharmaceuticals deny any responsibility for the role they played in creating the opioid addiction epidemic. And while the most recent litigation against Purdue/the Sackler family ended in immunity for them and an abdication of responsibility, it wasn't too long ago that Purdue was pleading guilty to federal felony charges relating to the opioid crisis.

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Ren in Legislation
January 29, 2022

Federal Judge Overturns Sackler/Purdue Pharma Bid for Bankruptcy Protection

In an alarming development in the ongoing litigation between thousands of plaintiffs against Purdue Pharmaceuticals (and the Sackler family that owns it), a federal judge just overturned the Sackler bid for bankruptcy protection and immunity. What does this mean for America’s most important pharma lawsuit?

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Ren in Legislation
January 28, 2022

Teva Pharmaceuticals Found Guilty

In the slew of recent lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, yet another loss for Big Pharma was announced on December 30th, 2021, in the case of New York State against Teva Pharmaceuticals.

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