WILMINGTON — Clinton County commissioners have voted to join “One Ohio” in pursuit of a settlement with prescription opioid companies.

The action means the county will join with other local Ohio governments to group-negotiate a potential settlement. The county’s alternative option was to keep pursuing its own lawsuit, filed in December 2017 in federal court against Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and other companies that manufactured or distributed opioid medications.

Earlier this week, Clinton County Commissioners President Kerry R. Steed said the State of Ohio believes political jurisdictions will be stronger together versus the prescription opioid industry, and so the State was making a case to bundle together individual lawsuits around Ohio.

With “One Ohio”, there are 19 proposed regions in Ohio for which there would be a controlling board to oversee the potential settlement distributions. The other counties in Clinton’s district would be Warren, Butler, Clermont, Greene, Clark and Madison Counties.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.