JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – On Thursday, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that the state of Missouri has received the first two payouts from the historic opioid settlement that the Missouri Attorney General’s Office coordinated and finalized earlier this year. The payments, totaling $35 million, are the first collected from the opioid settlement, and will be directed towards aiding victims and funding treatment and abatement programs.
“This settlement is historic not only because it’s the largest victim-centric settlement in Missouri’s history, but also because that money will go toward helping those desperately in need,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “Rather than going into general revenue, the funds from this settlement are being deposited directly into a fund that will aid the communities who need it most. It has been a great privilege to lead the charge on obtaining this settlement, and I look forward to seeing the good that this settlement money will do for the communities who were ravaged by the opioid crisis.”
In July of 2021, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced the preliminary settlement in the Office’s opioid litigation against Johnson & Johnson and major opioid distributors. In order to obtain the full amount of the settlement, the Office was required to obtain sign-on to the settlement from Missouri cities and counties. Through the Fighting Addiction, Saving Lives program, the Office made a full court press to get those sign-ons.
In working with litigating and non-litigating cities and counties, the Office has unlocked the full amount of the settlement to ensure that victims of opioid abuse and their families get resources they desperately need.
While other states opted to use outside counsel to litigate these cases, Missouri handled these cases internally, ensuring that all the money designated for the State of Missouri through these settlements goes directly to opioid abatement and treatment.
The Johnson & Johnson and distributors’ settlements brings an estimated $458,000,000, with roughly $274,800,000 going to the State of Missouri, and $183,200,000 going to localities.
These settlements will be paid out over a term of 18 years, on a graduated scale that pays larger sums in early years and decreases over time.