From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Can legal action solve a massive public health crisis?

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point.

Overdose deaths from opioid painkillers are epidemic across the country.

States and other localities are taking drug companies to court. Taxpayers are stuck with increased

costs for public health, courtrooms, jails, and coroner's offices. Governments want compensation.

They claim Big Pharma has knowingly played down the risks of opioids and pushed

doctors to increase prescriptions that maximize company profits. Who do the companies blame? Drug

users who don't follow directions will hear legal and moral arguments. Later on today's

talking point making sense of Britain's upset election.

First, here's the news.

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Hello again, Warren. I'll only. Back with To the Point. Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It's all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users who get addicted? On today's talking point, after a self-inflicted upset election loss, British Prime Minister

Theresa May wants to hold on to power.

We'll hear what Americans need to know beyond the British Bernie Sanders and Lord Buckethead.

First, this news update at his first news conference since James Comey's testimony before a Senate committee, President Trump repeated his tweet of early this morning.

No collusion, no obstruction. He's a leaker.

The president also accused Comey of lying under oath and denied ever asking for Comey's loyalty.

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