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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — On Tuesday, the Office of Attorney General Maura Healey announced that Massachusetts would be poised to receive more than $61 million out of a proposed nationwide settlement reached with Walmart over the company's alleged contribution to the opioid crisis.
More than a dozen Attorneys General led a prosecution that argued Walmart failed to properly oversee the dispensing of opioids at its store locations.
AG Maura Healey issued a statement on the proposed settlement:
“Companies that contributed to the opioid epidemic need to repair the harm they caused. That means paying for the treatment, recovery, and support services that families need, and changing business practices to make sure a crisis like this never happens again. This nationwide settlement will provide critical resources to those struggling with this crisis and requires Walmart to implement enhanced compliance measures to prevent inappropriate dispensing in the future," Healey said.
If the required 43 states approve the settlement, Massachusetts and its municipalities will put a majority of the funds to use in the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund, which funnels finances into prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery programs in the state. This comes as part of the State-Subdivision Agreement, which details that the rest of the abatement funds be applied via strategies put forth by public health experts, community leaders, and families affected by the opioid crisis.
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According to Healey's office, in addition to Massachusetts, Attorneys General from North Carolina, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas served as lead negotiators.
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