Connecticut Attorney General William Tong (D) plans to file later this month an expanded lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and its owners, whom the state accuses of fueling the opioid crisis with deceptive and aggressive marketing of pain drugs such as OxyContin, the New Haven Register reported. The complaint was filed last December by Tong’s predecessor and fellow Democrat, George Jepsen, but Tong has made the litigation a top priority since being sworn in last January. Connecticut comprises one of more than 30 states to sue Purdue and stands with Massachusetts and New York as the states that have also named, as defendants, eight members of the Sackler family who own the company and, until recently, served on the company’s board. “It’s going bigger and wider and deeper, and we’re going to be focusing on more specific acts of misconduct by the company and its officers, directors and shareholders, who are named as defendants,” Tong said. Purdue and the Sacklers have denied the lawsuit’s allegations.
