A Landmark Opioid Settlement and What It Means for North Carolina

North Carolina --  A major legal battle has ended. This fight was against the company that made the powerful painkiller, OxyContin. 

The result is a new, national settlement worth $7.4 billion with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family.

This agreement is a huge victory. It holds the company and family accountable for their role in the opioid crisis. And it will bring a wave of new money to communities across the country.

For North Carolina, this means nearly $150 million in new funds. This money is a crucial new piece of a much larger funding effort. In total, North Carolina is set to receive around $1.6 billion from all opioid settlements combined.

What’s Different About This Money?

Unlike past legal settlements, this money has strict rules. It cannot be used for just anything. It must be used to fight the opioid crisis. The funds will go to programs for treatment, recovery, and prevention.

Think of it as a targeted investment. This money goes directly to the front lines of the crisis. It is meant to save lives and help people rebuild.

Who Decides How the Money is Used?

This is where North Carolina’s plan is special. Most of the money, 85%, goes directly to local communities. This includes all 100 counties and 17 municipalities across the state. The remaining 15% goes to the state government.

At the Local Level:

Each county and city decides how to spend their share.

They must choose from a list of approved strategies. This list includes things like:

Treatment: Expanding access to treatment clinics and life-saving medications.

Recovery: Funding for recovery housing and support groups.

Harm Reduction: Giving out Narcan (naloxone) to reverse overdoses.

Prevention: Creating programs in schools to stop addiction before it starts.

Local leaders must get public input. Many counties are holding community meetings and working with local health experts. This makes sure the money is used for what their specific community needs most.

At the State Level:

The state’s share is managed by the General Assembly.

It is used for statewide programs and services. These can include large-scale prevention campaigns or support for research.

This system is about local control. It gives power to the communities most impacted.

Where is the Money Going?

North Carolina’s Attorney General Jeff Jackson was a key negotiator in this new settlement. He said the funds will be paid out over the next 15 years, with a large chunk arriving in the first three years.

Every county will get a share. The amount each county receives is based on a special formula. This formula looks at things like:

Overdose deaths.

Opioid use in the community.

The number of opioid pills shipped there.

This means counties hit hardest by the crisis will get the most money.

For example, counties like Mecklenburg, Wake, and Guilford are set to receive tens of millions of dollars from all settlements. But smaller counties will also receive millions. For example, Currituck County will receive over $2 million, and Onslow County will receive over $19 million.

These funds are already at work. Counties are using the money to hire overdose prevention coordinators, fund peer support specialists, and distribute naloxone.

Why Did This Happen?

The opioid crisis has devastated North Carolina. From 2000 to 2020, over 28,000 people in the state died from drug overdoses. This settlement aims to make sure the companies responsible pay for the damage. It also ends the Sackler family’s control of Purdue Pharma and stops them from selling opioids in the U.S.

The settlement still needs final approval from a federal bankruptcy court. But with all 55 states and territories on board, it is expected to be approved. This will pave the way for a new chapter in the fight against the opioid epidemic. 

WNCTimes

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