Milwaukee Common Council OKs City Attorney to seek outside counsel against drug makers, distributors

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The City of Milwaukee Common Council is working to help combat the opioid epidemic. 

On Tuesday morning, city leaders voted in favor of a motion that would allow the city attorney to seek outside legal help.

All of the council members voted in support of the resolution that would allow the city attorney to sue drug makers and distributors. This comes after 14 people died of drug overdoses this past weekend.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office says it's too early to know what drugs are to blame, but it's alarming.

At Tuesday's meeting, city leaders talked about the impact the epidemic has had on the city including police and paramedics' time, the cost of overdose reversal medication and the deaths.

"The loss of death in the City of Milwaukee last year was over 400 individuals," 10th District Ald. Michael Murphy said. "That's more than homicides and car accidents combined."

Ald. Murphy said the city attorney has met with law firms across the country that are taking similar legal action.