Finally! Some good news in the battle against the opioid crisis. A multi-state settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors will see $300M head into Minnesota this summer.
Here’s Five Fast Facts on Opioid Settlement Funds:
- 💸 Who Gets What? - $222M will go to 230 local governments. The state’s Opioid Council will get most of what’s left. The money will be handed out over 18 years with larger chunks up front. That’s a slow roll.
- ✍️Who Decided What?- Everyone in the state government is taking credit for this. Gov. Walz, the Attorney General and other legislators. Probably the dude in the mailroom, too. Why not, right?
- 🇺🇲How Did This Work, Exactly? - Nearly every state took part in a class-action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and three pharma distributors: Cardinal, McKesson and AmericsourceBergen (the worst active typo on the planet). There are more lawsuits pending against other companies, including the Opioid Kraken itself: Purdue Pharma. So even more money may be coming.
- 🔍Where’s It Going? - That’s up to the various governments to decide. Some have already earmarked it for shelters, prevention, recovery and treatment programs.
- 😥So Nothing for Victims? - It doesn’t look like it, despite the fact that 5,500 people in the state have died from overdoses, with 1,343 of those last year, the highest on record.
🔥Bottom line: No amount of money will bring the victims back. None at all. But this lawsuit is a major blow to the companies who knowingly pushed opioids on Americans for years. If even a small amount of this money helps further slow the damage, it’s a step in the right direction.
What do you think about this settlement money? Let us know by connecting with us on Social Media and be sure to share this newsletter with any friends & coworkers!
Btw, If you’ve read this far and haven’t yet signed up for the weekly Paycheckology newsletter, CLICK HERE!
