Morrisey Says Directive Follows his Suit Against the DEA

West Virginia’s attorney general says his December lawsuit against the federal Drug Enforcement Administration will lead to fewer opioid prescriptions in the U.S.

According to Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, a deadline in the lawsuit has led to a directive from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to the DEA to consider potential changes to its regulation establishing how many opioid pills can be manufactured each year.

He says evidence of diversion has been ignored for years in setting those limits, and he moved to suspend his lawsuit Thursday after getting the federal directive.

Morrisey says the new process should require the DEA to formally seek input from the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as every state.