Utah Representative Rob Bishop has put his support behind the efforts to battle the opioid crisis in Utah and beyond. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure aimed at combating the nationwide crisis and Representative Bishop has been outspoken about making this battle a top priority. 635 Utahns died of opioid overdose in 2016 and Bishop says in regards to this legislation, “the stakes are quite literally life or death.” Local agencies are also engaged in this battle. Uintah, Duchesne, and Daggett County and TriCounty Health Department announced last week that they have filed a joint lawsuit against “Big Pharma” opioid manufacturers and distributors. Defendants listed are those that have marketed opioids such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Fentora, as well as generic opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl.
