Brown received $237k from opioid companies.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown Accepts Quarter-Million Dollars from Opioid Crisis “Giants”

Pharmaceutical Distributors Accused of Allowing Proliferation and Abuse of Prescription Opioids

Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown has accepted $237,125 from pharmaceutical distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen since the early 2000s. These companies have been accused of allowing the proliferation and abuse of prescription opioids, and have failed to track suspicious orders or increases in opioid use among purchasers. Brown has received $143,000 from these companies through his campaign and leadership PACs, including $85,000 from Cardinal Health, $56,500 from AmerisourceBergen, and $1,500 from McKesson.

In addition, Brown has taken $54,100 from lobbyists for the distributors during his time in Congress, and employees at the companies have given $40,025 more. Although he pledged in 2019 to forgo corporate PAC donations if he ran for president, Brown has since accepted more than $1 million in corporate PAC money.

Despite this, Brown’s campaign manager Rachel Petri claims that “no one has done more to fight the opioid crisis in Ohio than Sherrod Brown.” Brown has passed legislation to help law enforcement curb opioid distribution with special scanners and help drug addicts enter recovery programs.

Ohio had the fifth-highest drug overdose rate of any US state in 2021, with more than 106,000 Americans dying from drug overdoses that year, including 16,706 due to prescription opioids. Brown is running for a fourth term next year and is expected to face off against Republican state Senator Matt Dolan or Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno in 2024.

What Can Be Done to Address the Opioid Crisis?

• Hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis
• Pass legislation to help law enforcement curb opioid distribution and help drug addicts enter recovery programs
• Provide funding for addiction treatment and mental health services
• Improve access to non-opioid pain management options
• Invest in research to develop safer pain medications

It’s time for our elected officials to take action and address this public health emergency. What do you think? Post a comment.

Note: Senator Brown has also recently come clean about breaking state tax rules for his homes in Ohio and being labeled delinquent by his county of residence for missing several other tax payments.