Baltimore, Walgreens Reach Opioid Settlement Totaling $402.5m

Introduction

The City of Baltimore has reached a settlement with Walgreens over its involvement in the opioid crisis, marking the fifth settlement in the City’s six-year legal battle against opioid distributors and manufacturers.

The full terms of the settlement will be disclosed on October 3, 2024.

This agreement follows previous settlements with Allergan and CVS for $45 million each, Teva for $80 million, and Cardinal Health for $152.5 million, bringing the City’s total opioid-related recoveries to $402.5 million. The remaining cases against Johnson & Johnson, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen are set to go to trial next week.

City Solicitor explained that Walgreens requested a 30-day delay in announcing the settlement details, which the City agreed to in order to focus on the upcoming trial against other key defendants in the opioid epidemic.

Baltimore's mayor praised the legal efforts, emphasizing the need for substantial resources to combat the opioid crisis. The funds from these settlements will help bolster ongoing initiatives aimed at addressing the epidemic and providing support where it's most needed.