Attorney General Tong, Mayor Simmons Highlight Opioid Settlement Funds

STAMFORD, CT — Last week, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong was joined by Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons and other local elected officials to highlight the recent funds the state received from Johnson & Johnson as part of the landmark $26 billion national opioid settlement that was announced earlier this year.

The settlement was reached with AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, McKesson, and Johnson & Johnson. It's the largest deal since the national tobacco settlement in the late 90's.

Tong, who helped lead negotiations for the settlement, announced that Connecticut has received $42.7 million as part of its first payments from Johnson & Johnson. The state will receive an additional $16 million from the company over the next few years. Overall, the state will get approximately $300 million from the settlement.

Locally, Stamford has received $185,000 as part of this payment, and will receive $1.3 million over time, Tong said.

About 85 percent of the money that Connecticut will receive will go towards "abatement," which Tong described as treatment, prevention and addiction science.

"This is an important day. This $42 million, most of it will go to treatment, prevention and addiction science, but it's not about the money. It's about justice," Tong said. "I am sure that as long as I am attorney general, that we will be fighting the opioid and addiction crisis."

Simmons noted that in Connecticut, residents are more likely to die from unintentional drug overdoses than motor vehicle accidents. She said that in 2020, there were 1,359 accidental and toxication deaths in the state — a 13 percent increase from the previous year.

In Stamford just last month, three people died in one house from fentanyl overdoses.

"In order to counteract the rising surge in fentanyl and opioid abuse, the Stamford Police Department, fire department and EMs has equipped all of our officers with narcan, as well as providing the training needed to ensure they properly respond to an opioid incident," Simmons said.

"The $1.3 million that Stamford will receive from the settlement, thanks to the work of General Tong and his team, will go towards critical opioid treatment, prevention, intervention and recovery, and allow us to build upon the work that is already being implemented in our city," Simmons added. "These resources will be invaluable, so that Connecticut residents and families who are most impacted by the opioid crisis will have the help they need."

Tong, a Stamford resident, also spoke about Purdue Pharma and the role the Stamford-based oxycontin manufacturer has played in the opioid crisis.

Earlier this year, Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family agreed to pay $6 billion to victims, survivors and states affected by opioids.

"Because Purdue Pharma is here, because they played a leading role in starting and fueling this crisis, I have a special obligation to be aggressive and to hold them accountable," Tong said. "And so we have."

State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-25) also spoke briefly at last week's gathering.

He said solving the opioid crisis is an issue that everyone should remain committed to.

"It continues to ravage families and continues to destroy families. Thanks to the work of the Attorney General and his office, we are beginning to see some relief and help to help families and communities across this state who desperately need it," he said.

Watch last week's gathering with elected officials here.