Hawaii Announces Plans To Spend $78M Opioid Settlement

Hawaii Announces Plans To Spend $78M Opioid Settlement

Introduction

State and local authorities announced strategies for using Hawaii's $78 million part of a national settlement with pharmaceutical corporations to fight the opioid epidemic.

According to the agreement, 85% of the funds would be used to address issues with other narcotics and the other 15% will go toward treatment, prevention, and education about the risks of opioid addiction. Few more specifics, however, were offered since the governor insisted that first, state authorities must complete a needs assessment.

The news comes months after a $26 billion settlement was struck with manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, three major pharmaceutical distributors, Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen, and distributors of prescription drugs.

Regarding drug overdose fatalities, Hawaii came in 37th place overall. The governor said that this year, drug overdose deaths in the state outnumbered road fatalities.

The country is currently dealing with a catastrophic opioid problem that is killing thousands of individuals, destroying families, and having a terrible impact on society. Although public health issues frequently develop in Hawaii years after they do on the mainland, warning signals are beginning to emerge.

The state Department of Health reports that from 2010 to 2014, opioids were responsible for 778 deaths, or 35% of drug overdose deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also seen a rise in cases around the country.

According to the CDC, the latest figures indicate that the number of opioid overdose deaths climbed from an expected 70,029 in 2020 to 80,816 in 2021. In 2021 compared to 2020, the number of overdose deaths from cocaine, methamphetamine, and synthetic opioids (mainly fentanyl) also increased.

A formula that took into account the population of the state and the effects of the opioid epidemic on it was used to calculate Hawaii's share of the total settlement. According to authorities, it includes $15 million over nine years from Johnson & Johnson and around $63 million over 18 years from the settlement with the three largest distributors.

In accordance with a contract signed by the state, the City and County of Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii island, and Kauai, an advisory committee made up of county and state representatives will decide how to spend 85% of the money statewide, while the counties will decide how to use 15% of the funds locally.

In order to provide funds where they are most needed, Hawaii's governor announced that officials will conduct a statewide needs assessment. The mayors of Maui and Honolulu stressed the value of supporting preventative and education initiatives.