SAFE GC Coalition: NYS AG Reaches $7.8 Billion Opioid Settlement

According to the 2024 NYS Department of Health Opioid Annual Report, in NYS, both fatal and nonfatal overdoses involving opioids have increased since 2010. While efforts had initially slowed increases in fatal overdose, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts resulted in another sharp increase with opioid-related overdose deaths reaching historic levels of over 5,300 in 2022.

The report states that the estimated cost of opioid-related overdose death in 2022 was nearly 62 billion dollars. This rise in overdose deaths also disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minority populations. In recent State of the State addresses, Governor Hochul has highlighted the need to continue expanding and enhancing the public health approach to fight the opioid crisis. In line with this call, the NYS Department of Health and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) coordinate to enhance existing public health programs, interventions, and healthcare system-based approaches, as well as develop novel strategies and programs.

Deploying a public health strategy to address the crisis includes, but is not limited to, prevention programs, harm reduction services, ensuring linkage to treatment and clinical care, strengthening public health surveillance and epidemiology, and implementing evidence-based community interventions.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James recently announced that a bipartisan coalition of states, and other parties led by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) have reached a $7.4 billion settlement in principle with members of the Sackler family and their company Purdue Pharma, Inc. (Purdue) for their instrumental role in creating the opioid crisis. Purdue, under the Sacklers’ leadership, invented, manufactured, and aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, fueling waves of addiction and overdose deaths across the country. The settlement ends the Sacklers’ control of Purdue and ability to sell opioids in the United States and will deliver funding directly to communities across the country over the next 15 years to support opioid addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery programs. The $7.4 billion settlement in principle, the nation’s largest settlement to date with individuals responsible for contributing to the opioid crisis, comes after the United States Supreme Court overturned a prior multistate settlement with the Sacklers ‘and Purdue in June 2024.

If approved, the settlement will deliver funds to the participating states, local governments, affected individuals, and other parties who have previously sued the Sacklers or Purdue. A significant amount of the settlement funds will be distributed in the first three years, with $1.5 billion paid out in the first payment, followed by $500 million after one year, an additional $500 million after two years, and $400 million after three years. New York will receive up to $250 million from the settlement, which will support opioid treatment and recovery programs throughout the state.

The York State Department of Health (the Department) oversees the health, safety, and well-being of New Yorkers utilizing new developments in science as critical tools in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. To read the 2024 Opioid Annual Report please visit https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/pdf/nys_opioid_annual_r....

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovec... or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.