Putnam County is looking to battle the opioid crisis.

County Executive MaryEllen Odell urged the Legislature to allow the government to join various states and counties across the country in filing lawsuits against both pharmaceutical companies and distributors over fraudulent and negligent marketing and distribution of opioid pain medications.  Odell is president of the New York Association of Counties and says it's imperative to learn from the tobacco lawsuits of the 90s and collectively go after the source of the prescription opioid epidemic.

The legislature voted to have a law firm represent Putnam County's interests in the New York Opioid Cost Recovery litigation.  The goal of the proposed litigation would be to fully compensate Putnam County for unnecessary cost incurred as a result of prescription opioid abuse, including workplace costs relative to loss of productivity, healthcare costs such as abuse treatment and criminal justice costs.

The county has been working with law enforcement agencies and many not-for-profit organizations to raise awareness, educate and enforce laws.