(The Center Square) - Three drug companies reached a $250 million settlement with Oklahoma related to the opioid crisis, Attorney General John O'Connor said in a news release Monday.
The settlement with McKesson, Cardinal, and AmerisourceBergen comes after the state rejected a national settlement.
The three lawsuits were first filed in 2020 by former attorney general Mike Hunter and accused the drug companies of fueling the opioid crisis for one reason – greed.
"Defendant substantially contributed to fueling the opioid crisis by supplying massive and patently unreasonable quantities of opioids to communities throughout the United States, including Oklahoma," the lawsuit against McKesson said. "Defendant ignored its duties and responsibilities to prevent oversupply and diversion of opioids for illicit and non-medical uses."
Similar wording was in the lawsuits against Cardinal and AmerisourceBergen.
Cities and counties will share the money and must agree to the terms of the settlement before it is final, according to the news release. The money will go to the "areas that need help the most."
"Many Oklahoma families have been ravaged and lives have been lost by opioid addictions and overdoses," O'Connor said in a statement. "Money cannot possibly heal those wounds or bring back our loved ones. The funds we are recovering will be used to prevent and treat addictions to opioids."
The drug companies will pay the state's attorney's fees, O'Connor said. Attorneys hired by the state and the cities and counties includes in the lawsuit also agreed to reduce their fees, according to the news release.
Oklahoma has received more than $680 million in settlements related to the opioid crisis, according to the release. That number does not include attorney's fees and court costs.
The announcement comes a day before O'Connor's bid for reelection in the Republican primary. He is facing Gentner Drummond.
via Oklahoma's Center Square News