Hillbilly heroin? That’s what OxyContin is being called after its widespread abuse came in Appalachia came to light during the past couple of years. Not only that, but Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and other officials are demanding millions in compensation from OxyContin’s creator, Purdue Pharma.

The Kentucky officials filed a lawsuit in October 2007, calling it “war” against the drug’s manufacturer. They are seeking compensation for the extensive drug abuse programs, police costs, and counseling costs the state has incurred while trying to tackle its residents’ addiction to the drug.
 
Purdue Pharma says they aren’t liable for the extensive addiction, because OxyContin’s packaging warns people against the dangers of the drug.
 
In May, Purdue Pharma executives pleaded guilty to misleading the public about the dangers of the drug, including its link to severe addiction. They paid $634.5 million in fines. Purdue Pharma also paid $19.5 million to more than half the states in the U.S., settling complaints that the company was encouraging physicians to overprescribe OxyContin to their patients.
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