Walmart has agreed to pay $3.1 billion in a national settlement to resolve claims from over a dozen states’ attorneys general that the company contributed to the opioid addiction crisis.
Colorado is set to receive more than $40 million of the settlement money, state Attorney General Phil Weiser announced on Tuesday. Weiser led the negotiations on the settlement framework, along with attorneys general from North Carolina, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Texas.
The leading attorneys general all agreed to the settlement. It must now be reviewed and approved by other states before the end of 2022.
Colorado's 462 faces of fentanyl
“We are continuing to hold accountable the companies that created and fueled the opioid crisis, which has devastated communities and harmed Coloradans throughout the state,” Weiser said. “This agreement with Walmart adds to the important progress we've already achieved through our settlements with the opioid manufacturers and distributors, and there is more work to do.”
Through August of this year, 462 Coloradans had died from the synthetic opioid fentanyl, according to the state health department. From 2019 to 2021, Colorado had the second-highest increase in fentanyl deaths out of any state, according to a February report from the nonprofit Families Against Fentanyl.
The attorneys general argued that Walmart bolstered the national opioid crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores.
In a statement Tuesday, Walmart said it “strongly disputes” these allegations, but the settlement does not include admission of liability.
“Walmart believes the settlement framework is in the best interest of all parties and will provide significant aid to communities across the country in the fight against the opioid crisis, with aid reaching state and local governments faster than any other nationwide opioid settlement to date,” the statement read. “Walmart will continue to vigorously defend the company against any lawsuit not resolved through this settlement framework.”
In addition to the $3.1 billion, the settlement requires Walmart to improve how its pharmacies handle opioids. Weiser said the “broad, court-ordered requirements" will include "robust oversight to prevent fraudulent prescriptions and flag suspicious prescriptions.”
If approved, the $3.1 billion will be divided by states, local governments and tribes that sign on, and must be used to provide treatment and recovery services to people struggling with opioid use disorder. In Colorado, the $40 million will be distributed according to the opioid framework agreed to by the state and local governments in August 2021.
Weiser said “promising” negotiations regarding opioid settlements are also underway with Walgreens and CVS.
