West Virginia officials to appeal opioid lawsuit decision

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Officials in a West Virginia county plan to appeal a federal judge’s ruling in favor of three major U.S. drug distributors in a landmark lawsuit that accused them of causing a health crisis by distributing 81 million pills over eight years. The Herald-Dispatch reports the Cabell County Commission voted unanimously Thursday to appeal the July 4 verdict and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams says the city also plans to appeal. The lawsuit alleged drug distributors created a public nuisance, but the judge ruled the state’s nuisance law doesn’t apply to the marketing and sale of opioids.