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In photo: U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-Amsterdam) addresses the crowd in Saratoga Springs before a candlelight vigil in Congress Park on Aug. 31, 2017, also called Overdose Awareness Day. Photo by Larry Goodwin.
SARATOGA COUNTY – According to a statement provided by Gramercy Communications, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors took decisive action in a special board meeting this month to ramp up its fight against the opioid crisis.
The supervisors have authorized the retention of the New York City-based law firm Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC to pursue litigation against companies and potentially physicians responsible for careless practices related to the manufacturing, distribution and prescriptions of opioid pharmaceuticals.
“Like most areas of the state, opioid abuse has become an epidemic in Saratoga County,” said Stillwater Supervisor Ed Kinowski, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “The ease of access, and over-prescription of these dangerous drugs has led to the death of too many of our friends and neighbors. The misrepresentation of the nature of these drugs has led to an alarming rise in addiction and overdoses.”
“Saratoga County has invested significant resources to combat opioid abuse and addiction,” said Saratoga County Administrator Spencer Hellwig. “We’ve trained our first responders to take action when they encounter someone experiencing an overdose. We’ve also had to increase our social services programs to aide residents who are struggling with addictions. In addition to the irreplaceable cost of life, the strain on time, training, and equipment for our county is not minimal.”
The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors is looking to recoup some of the resources that have been invested in this fight. By pursuing litigation against manufacturers, distributors and those who inappropriately prescribe opioids, the county looks to recover some of the financial costs associated with training programs, purchases of equipment, and the development of increased public services to help aide residents fighting their addictions.
There will be no costs to taxpayers. The law firm will only be compensated in the form of a portion of any settlements that may be reached, according to the statement provided by Gramercy.
Other municipalities across the country have retained Napoli Shkolnik, including Nassau County and the City of Dayton, Ohio, which has been referred to as the “heroin epicenter” of the country. To date, the firm represents nearly twenty municipalities nationwide.
“This disease of addiction is a difficult one to combat,” said Catherine Duncan, Saratoga County’s director of Public Health Services. “Our county has expanded programs to address the rise in requests for treatment and continues to work collaboratively with community partners to raise awareness of the dangers of addiction.”
