RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced on Tuesday, Nov. 15, that his office has reached a settlement with Walmart to address allegations that the corporation contributed to the opioid crisis by failing to take necessary steps in managing the distribution of opioids at its stores.
According to a statement from Miyares’s office, the settlement, if agreed upon by the necessary parties, will provide $3.1 billion for states nationwide to reduce the opioid crisis through various remedial and treatment programs for those with addiction.
Approximately $60 million of the $3.1 billion grant will go to Virginia as part of the settlement, which will also call for improvements and more stringent oversight into how Walmart pharmacies handle opioid prescriptions, the statement from Miyares’s office read.
“Companies who facilitated the dispensing of opioids contributed to the opioid epidemic that has devastated millions of lives,” Miyares said in the statement. “This significant settlement will help us fight back against the epidemic and provide abatement and rehabilitation resources to suffering Virginians.”
The settlement is pending approval by the attorneys general of 43 states by the end of the year. This will allow local governments to join the deal during the first quarter of 2023, according to the statement from Miyares’s office. More details about how the grant will be distributed are forthcoming, the statement added.
