J&J, distributors finalize $26B landmark opioid settlement

By GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors have finalized a nationwide settlement over their role in the opioid addiction crisis. The announcement Friday clears the way for $26 billion to flow to nearly every state and local government in the U.S. It’s the largest settlement to date among the many opioid-related cases that have been playing out across the country and is expected to provide a significant boost to programs aimed at reversing the crisis in places that have been devastated by it. That includes many parts of rural America. The money is to be delivered over 18 years, and most of it must be used to fight the epidemic.