Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein’s office announced a historic $26 billion settlement agreement in the fight against opioid. The agreement includes Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen – the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – and Johnson & Johnson, which manufactured and marketed opioids. The funds are set to be used toward opioid treatment and prevention to communities that have been hard hit by the pandemic like many in Western North Carolina.
“The opioid epidemic has torn families apart and killed thousands of North Carolinians,” said AG Stein in making the announcement. “Families across our state have shared with me their heart-wrenching stories about their loved ones who are struggling with the horrible disease of addiction or who overdosed and died. It has been my genuine honor on their behalf to lead these negotiations to hold accountable the companies that helped to create and fuel this crisis. While no amount of money will ever be enough, this settlement will force these drug companies to pay a historic amount of money to bring much-needed treatment and recovery services to North Carolina communities and to change their business practices so that something like this never happens again.”
The agreement also requires industry changes that will help prevent this type of crisis from ever happening again. The agreement would resolve investigations and litigation over the companies’ roles in creating and fueling the opioid epidemic. State negotiations were led by Attorneys General Josh Stein (NC) and Herbert Slatery (TN) and the attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
North Carolina’s share will be distributed among the state and local governments pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement, to which the State and more than 53 local governments have already agreed. North Carolina stands to receive approximately $750 million with all local governments on board. Swain County is among the counties that plan to be a part of the program.
The counties can use the funds for treatment and prevention efforts, such as: supporting evidence-based addiction treatment, recovery support services and housing, naloxone distribution, syringe services. Funds could also be used for supporting people in treatment and recovery, preventing over-prescribing of opioids and misuse and harm reduction strategies. Counties can also work together for regional approaches.
“The Swain County Board of Commissioners is very pleased with the efforts of the State's Attorney General Josh Stein and his efforts to secure the settlement in the opioid case,” said Swain County Commission Chairman Ben Bushyhead by email. “It has been long known that the doctors, the companies are now blaming for writing the prescriptions, is a case of transference. The Pharmaceutical Companies make no apologies for their incentives to the doctors to write the prescriptions. Neither have the companies apologized for their lies to the doctors about the opioids not being addictive. Counties and municipalities have until the end of August to join with the state. Swain County will continue with its intent to join with the state at its Aug. 12 meeting.
Tragically, just last year, opioid overdose deaths rose to a record 93,000, a nearly 30 percent increase over the prior year. In North Carolina, more than five people die of opioid overdose each day. From 2000 to 2019, more than 16,500 North Carolinians lost their lives to accidental opioid overdose.