Florida Reaches ‘Historic’ Opioid Settlement, Walgreens to Pay $683 Million
May 5, 2022 Updated 12:47 P.M. ET
TAMPA (FLV) – Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Thursday that Florida secured more than $680 million in a settlement with Walgreens for the company’s role in the opioid epidemic.
“Before taking office I vowed to seek accountability from those who helped fuel the opioid crisis,” Moody said.
Moody said Florida is the first state in the nation to successfully conclude litigation against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies after years of litigation. Walgreens was the 12th and final defendant in the case to hold opioid distributors and manufacturers accountable.
Moody said the total amount of dollars secured from litigation came out to more than $3 billion.
“These monies will be paid out of the next two decades and will be used to abate the opioid crisis and help families and communities heal throughout our state,” Moody said. “The funds will go to the communities hit hardest by the opioid abuse. And they will be spent on treatment and prevention.”
Florida continues to lose 21 people to opioid abuse every day. In one year, 100,000 Americans overdosed and died from drug use.
“Much of this money will flow to the hard hit areas and will be used locally where they can do the most good and help families struggling because of opioid abuse,” she said.
