First State Times

From November 15, 2022 post.

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced that Delaware has reached a settlement with Walmart to resolve allegations that the company contributed to the opioid addiction crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores. The settlement will provide $3.1 billion nationally and will require significant improvements in how Walmart’s pharmacies handle opioids.

State attorneys general on the executive committee, attorneys representing local governments, and Walmart have agreed to this settlement, and it is now being sent to other states for review and approval. 

“Delaware has made real progress in the fight against substance use disorder, but families from Claymont to Selbyville are still paying the costs of the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Jennings. “My office’s mission is to secure accountability for the families of this state: first from the manufacturers and distributors who brought opioids into our communities, and now from the retailers and pharmacies that sold them. This $3.1 billion agreement will change Walmart’s practices, and it will change lives across this country. I’m grateful to the team in our office and our fellow attorneys general who fought tirelessly to secure these resources and to make a change for our neighbors.”

The settlement will include:

• $3.1 billion to be divided by states that sign on, local governments, and tribes, which must be used to provide treatment and recovery services to people struggling with opioid use disorder.
• Broad, court-ordered requirements, including robust oversight to prevent fraudulent prescriptions and flag suspicious prescriptions.

Delaware’s portion of the settlement is estimated at $11.8 million. The parties are optimistic that the settlement will gain the support of the required 43 states by the end of 2022, allowing local governments to join the deal during the first quarter of 2023. Further details about how the money will be distributed will be forthcoming. Last month, states confirmed that promising negotiations were also underway with Walgreens and CVS. The parties continue their efforts to achieve those agreements. 

In addition to Delaware, the Attorneys General of North Carolina, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Texas have served as the lead negotiators on this deal. 

Original source can be found here.