LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced a more than $197 million settlement with CVS and Walgreens for their roles in the opioid epidemic.
According to a press release, Kentucky is set to receive $94 million from CVS and more than $102 million from Walgreens over the next 15 years.
Initial payments are set to begin in the middle of 2023.
Cameron says like previous settlements, 50% of the funds will go to local governments while another 50% will go to the Commonwealth.
The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission will administer the state's portion of the funds.
This agreement brings Kentucky's total settlement dollars from companies responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic to over $842 million.
“This is the third nationwide settlement we’ve reached this month, and our hope is that the more than $842 million we have brought to the Commonwealth this year will advance our work to meaningfully address the opioid epidemic in Kentucky," Cameron said.
Both CVS and Walgreens are required to monitor, report and share data about "suspicious activity" regarding opioid prescriptions to make sure "a crisis like this does not happen again" according to the release.
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