CINCINNATI — Ohio has signed onto a $7.4 billion opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family.
Attorney General Dave Yost's office announced the decision Monday and said the settlement could bring up to $198 million to Ohio and its local communities for addiction, prevention and recovery services.
“I think it holds them accountable. $7.4 billion is significant,” said Tom Synan, Newtown Police Chief and co-founder of the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition.
According to a press release from Yost’s office, Purdue Pharma, under the Sacklers’ ownership, “manufactured and aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, contributing to the largest drug crisis in American history.”
Here's where some of the settlement money will likely go, and how much:
Now that the state sign-on period has concluded, local governments nationwide will be asked to join the settlement, which is subject to the approval of a federal bankruptcy judge.
If the settlement is approved, communities across the country will receive funds to support addiction treatment and prevention and recovery services over the course of 15 years.
I asked Synan what $198 million could do for Ohio and its communities when it comes to addiction treatment and recovery.
“This money would allow us to stay on the front end with Narcan … but what it would really help us with, and that’s what our focus is in Hamilton County, is can we shore up the back end infrastructure so once someone gets into treatment, once they get into that continuum care model, can we get them and keep them in active recovery,” said Synan.
Synan said that will only be possible if proposed federal cuts to Narcan and other necessities aren’t made. If they are, he said the money can help fill in some gaps, but not all.
“It would be almost like a self-inflicted wound where we ourselves, the system, are creating more gaps,” said Synan.
If approved, 55% of the settlement funds would go to the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, 30% to local governments and 15% to the state.
Indiana AG Todd Rokita and Kentucky AG Russell Coleman also signed onto the settlement. His office said this settlement brings the commonwealth's total recovery to more than $1 billion from settlements with the companies behind the “worst man-made crisis in the Commonwealth’s history.”
“These resources won’t bring back lost loved ones, but they may be able to prevent future tragedies,” Coleman said in a release. “With more than $1 billion, Kentucky is investing in prevention, treatment and recovery programs that will save lives and turn the page on this crisis.”
Of the settlement funds, 50% will be distributed by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, according to Coleman’s office.
