ATLANTA — Georgia is set to receive $28 million from a multi-state settlement in a lawsuit against Walmart for its purported role in the opioid crisis.  

Attorney General Chris Carr announced Dec. 19 that Georgia joined the $3.1 billion national settlement with Walmart to resolve allegations that the company failed to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores.

The settlement to Georgia is planned to help fund critical treatment and recovery services for those struggling with opioid use disorder, according to Carr. Local governments have 90 days from Dec. 15 to join the settlement. 

“The opioid epidemic has destroyed lives, families and communities all across our state and nation,” said Carr. “By joining this settlement, we will receive much-needed resources to help support Georgians in recovery and our neighbors struggling with addiction. This is one of several actions we have taken to help combat the opioid crisis, and we will continue to do all we can to address the damage it’s caused throughout our state.”

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, 67% of drug overdose deaths were related to opioids, or drugs like fentanyl, hydrocodone and methadone, which are sometimes prescribed to treat severe pain.  

The national settlement requires Walmart to comply with robust oversight measures to help prevent the filling of fraudulent prescriptions and flag suspicious prescriptions.

Walmart was not a defendant in Georgia’s ongoing litigation involving opioid distributors according to Carr, stating that Walmart officials approached the state with the settlement offer. 

Alabama is also one of 48 other states that have entered into the settlement or had previously settled with Walmart.

On Nov. 7, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a $44.2 million statewide agreement with Walmart to fund opioid abatement throughout the state. 

According to a news release from Marshall’s office, Walmart will pay $35.7 million to Alabama’s local governments for opioid abatement, while three million dollars will be dedicated to improving the connectivity and integration of Alabama’s local court systems. The remainder is to be paid toward attorneys’ fees.

“Many of Alabama’s cities and counties have been pummeled by an epidemic that began with prescription opioids and has intensified to illicit opioids like heroin and fentanyl,” Marshall stated. “In fact, this year, fentanyl and other opioids were recorded as the No. 1 greatest drug threat in the State of Alabama. The agreement we have reached with Walmart will accelerate another funding stream to our locals, providing immediate aid to their fight against addiction and overdose.”

In 2020, the CDC reported 22.3 overdose deaths per 100,000 people.  

Marshall continued: “I am especially pleased that Walmart has agreed to fund technological improvements for our local courts. Our district and circuit courts have borne a great share of the burden of navigating this epidemic. After conversations with judges in some of the hardest-hit areas of our state, I was determined to recover funding for this effort. Fortunately, Walmart recognized the lasting value of what we are trying to build.”

States have also received billions in settlements from lawsuits from opioid manufacturers to combat the opioid epidemic.