Last week, state Attorney General Ashley Moody announced she will secure more than $680 million from Walgreens, concluding the state’s opioid litigation.
The monetary commitment by Walgreens follows a four-week court battle over the company’s role in the opioid crisis. Walgreens is the 12th and final defendant in the state’s case to hold major opioid distributors, manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies accountable for fueling the crisis. The announcement brings the total funds secured through litigation efforts by to more than $3 billion.
“Before taking office, I vowed to seek accountability for the opioid crisis, and with this final action, I can now say we have successfully accomplished our mission. The more than $3 billion secured through years of determined legal work will go to communities devastated by opioids. Our hope is this money, paid out over the next two decades, will save lives and help Florida families and communities heal,” Moody said.
A portion of the more than $680 million secured from Walgreens will be sent directly to Florida’s cities and counties. All these proceeds must be spent on opioid abatement, including prevention efforts, treatment or recovery services. Moody negotiated an allocation with these localities that ensures settlement proceeds will be spent on curbing the opioid epidemic. More than 240 subdivisions agreed to previous allocation deals as part of signing onto prior terms. The remainder of the monies in the agreement will go to pay fees and costs incurred by the state and by the cities and counties.
In March, Moody announced the securement of more than $870 million for opioid abatement from CVS Health Corporation, CVS Pharmacy, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. and Allergan PLC.
Prior to the March announcement, Moody secured a multibillion-dollar nationwide settlement with McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health, Inc., AmerisourceBergen Corp., and Johnson & Johnson, Inc. Florida will receive more than $1.6 billion, which must be used for remediation. Florida finalized a settlement with McKinsey & Company for $40 million in February 2021.
In total, through Moody’s actions, the state has secured more than $3 billion for remediation, with much of the funds secured from the 12 defendants in the state’s litigation going to cities and counties to fund local abatement efforts.
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