2158RESOLUTION NO. 2 15 15
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA AND IN ARKANSAS; AND TO ENGAGE IN
LITIGATION AS A MEMBER OF THE MUNICIPAL LEGAL DEFENSE
PROGRAM (MLDP) AGAINST THOSE ENTITIES AND PEOPLE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SOCIETAL CRISIS.
WHEREAS, our nation and the state of Arkansas have suffered substantially by virtue of
the addiction and dependency on opioids, both legally prescribed and criminally secured, and;
WHEREAS, on October 26th, 2017, the President of the United States of America
declared the opioid crisis to be a "public health emergency," and;
WHEREAS, Arkansas' hospitals and rehabilitation centers cannot keep pace with the
flood of victims, and;
WHEREAS, Arkansas has been ranked as the number two state in the nation in per
capita prescriptions of opioid medications in 2016; and
WHEREAS, in 2013 the cost of prescription opioid dependence, abuse and overdose was
$78.5 billion dollars for the nation as a whole; and
WHEREAS, in 2015 an estimated 12.131 billion dosage units (pills) were prescribed
nationally equating to 97.36 pills per household; and
WHEREAS, based upon the number of opioid prescription issued in 2016 it has been
estimated that every man, woman and child, regardless of age would have 37.5 pills in hand at
any given time; and
WHEREAS, drug overdose fatalities in 2016 across the nation numbered 64,000 people
while traffic fatalities for the same period number approximately, 40,200; and
WHEREAS, municipal governments have born a substantial financial and societal
burden fighting this crisis and epidemic and will face abatement costs for this nuisance for many
years to come; and
WHEREAS, City of West Memphis is a member of the MLDP and seeks to make use of
the legal services provided by the Program to hold those responsible for this crisis to the highest
letter of the law; and
WHEREAS, the MLDP in concert with the other risk management pools in Arkansas
have combined resources to bring against those responsible on behalf of all counties, cities and
towns in the state.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS,
ARKANSAS, recognizes the acute need to address to opioid crisis in this state and wishes to do
so by joining the efforts of other MLDP members to bring litigation against those responsible as
advised by the MLDP.
ADOPTED this X% day of DeC¢ntibevA '2017.
ATTESTED:
PHILLIP PARA, City Clerk
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, Mayor
RECEIVED
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