Ohio Supreme Court Rules Against Pharmacies in Opioid Case

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens cannot be held liable under state public nuisance law for their role in the opioid epidemic, effectively jeopardizing a $650.9 million judgment previously awarded to Lake and Trumbull counties. The court determined that the Ohio Product Liability Act supersedes public nuisance claims related to the sale of products, preventing the counties from seeking equitable relief for the crisis. This ruling follows a federal jury's 2021 finding that the pharmacies contributed to the opioid crisis through lax dispensing practices. The decision is seen as a significant victory for the pharmacy chains and may influence similar cases across the country. With Ohio experiencing one of the highest fatal overdose rates, the implications of this ruling will be closely monitored as other municipalities pursue legal action against opioid distributors and manufacturers. Dissenting justices argued that the counties' claims should not be dismissed under the current state law framework.