Citing the drain on public resources, the Clark County Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to join the growing number of local jurisdictions taking legal action against pharmaceutical companies accused of deceptively pushing addictive opioid medications.

The county will retain the Seattle-based law firm of Keller Rohrback to file a lawsuit on its behalf. Emily Sheldrick, chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney, said in an email that she’s not sure which specific companies will be targeted in the lawsuit. She said she hopes the lawsuit will be ready next month.

The firm represents King, Skagit, Pierce and Clallam counties and the cities of Tacoma, Mount Vernon, Burlington and Sedro-Woolley in similar lawsuits, according to a county new release. It also stated that the firm represents the Arizona Municipal Risk Recovery Pool, a coalition of 76 cities and towns. Similar lawsuits filed by Keller Rohrback have been aimed at Purdue Pharma, Endo Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

Speaking at the meeting, Clark County Undersheriff Mike Cooke described pharmaceutical companies as “corporate drug dealers” that have committed the same crimes as “some guy lurking in a parking lot.” He said that the opioid epidemic has been devastating to the public and been a burden to the sheriff’s office and social services.

“A significant contributor to this epidemic has been the intentional and deceptive practice of pharmaceutical companies who produce and market opiate-based medications,” he said.