Prescott is suing pharmaceutical companies alleging the pain pills they manufacture have harmed the city. 

Attorneys for the city filed a lawsuit in Yavapai Superior Court on Tuesday against 18 defendants including manufacturers, distributors and two individual doctors.

The city is alleging all of the parties misled the public into believing that opioids are safe and were not addictive.

John Paladini is Prescott’s city attorney. He says consumers are entitled to truth from manufacturers. "Whether it’s an automaker, a food producer or a pharmaceutical company, the law says that they cannot lie about their product," he said.

The city is seeking an injunction against the parties named in the suit and asking for a trial. Paladini says while Prescott is not seeking a specific amount in damages, the opioid crisis has placed a huge cost burden on the taxpayers of Prescott.