Baltimore jury to decide if drug companies are responsible for city's opioid crisis

BALTIMORE -- Jurors in Baltimore will decide if two drug companies should pay the city over $260 million in damages for allegedly contributing to its opioid crisis.

The decision follows a six-week trial, where city lawyers argued the companies were more focused on profit than public health. According to the city, the companies shipped millions of opioid pills into Baltimore, disregarding their addictive effects. This oversupply, they argue, led residents to turn to more potent drugs like fentanyl and heroin, worsening the crisis.

The companies claim they acted legally, selling approved painkillers to licensed pharmacies, and deny responsibility for any illegal drug trade.

The city has already secured $400 million in settlements from other opioid companies, including Walgreens, Johnson & Johnson, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and CVS in similar lawsuits. Jurors will now determine if these two companies were a "public nuisance" to Baltimore.

The city is seeking damages to cover current and future expenses related to the opioid crisis, including funds already spent on law enforcement and public health initiatives.