North Carolina -- May 4, 2026: North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced on May 1, 2026, that a nationwide settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family is now in effect, bringing nearly $150 million directly to North Carolina. This landmark legal achievement aims to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis and bolster statewide efforts to combat addiction.
The settlement represents a significant legal victory against Purdue Pharma and its owners for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic. Under the agreement, the Sackler family will pay $6.5 billion of the total $7.4 billion nationwide settlement, lose control of Purdue Pharma, and be barred from selling opioids in the U.S.
Accountability and Industry Shift
Attorney General Jackson characterized Purdue Pharma's actions as having "lied to a bunch of doctors about the opioid they had invented, telling them that it wasn't addictive." He noted that this contributed to the prescription pill crisis, which has since evolved into the current fentanyl crisis.
While the Sackler family maintains they have done nothing wrong, the May 2026 activation follows a pivotal 2024 Supreme Court ruling. That decision invalidated a previous deal, ultimately requiring the family to pay an additional $2 billion (increasing their contribution from $4.3 billion to $6.5 billion) in exchange for certain legal releases.
As part of the settlement, Purdue Pharma has officially ceased operations:
Knoa Pharma: A new public-benefit company, Knoa Pharma, has taken over Purdue’s assets. It is overseen by an independent board with no ties to the Sacklers.
Profits for Public Good: Knoa is prohibited from marketing opioids; its profits will now fund treatment and recovery programs.
Public Record: Over 30 million internal documents from Purdue Pharma are being made public to ensure full transparency of their past marketing practices.
Funding for North Carolina Communities
North Carolina's $150 million share will be distributed to county governments over 15 years, with the largest payments scheduled for the first three years. When combined with previous opioid settlements totaling $1.4 billion, North Carolina is set to receive more than $1.6 billion total for opioid treatment programs.
An agreement between county and state leaders dictates that 85 percent of these settlement funds will go directly to counties and local municipalities, while 15 percent is designated for state lawmakers.
High-Impact Recovery Strategies
Local governments are required to use these funds on evidence-based initiatives. These high-impact strategies include:
Naloxone Distribution: Increasing access to life-saving overdose reversal drugs.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Funding programs that offer FDA-approved treatments for opioid use disorder.
Recovery Housing: Supporting "sober living" environments to help individuals transition back into the community.
Mobile Crisis Teams: Providing outreach to rural areas where traditional clinics are difficult to reach.
Syringe Services: Supporting harm reduction programs to reduce the spread of disease and connect users to care.
For North Carolina to receive its full share, county governments must sign onto the agreement. The state has been recognized as a national leader for its transparency in disbursing settlement dollars. Residents can track how their specific community is spending these funds—including detailed records for counties across Western North Carolina—on the public CORE-NC dashboard reviewed by the state attorney general's office.