by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports
Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced another opioid settlement agreement this week that will help the state combat the opioid crisis. Over the next 15 years, Idaho will receive $76 million from chain pharmacies CVS and Walgreens and drug manufacturers Teva and Allergan.
Under the $17.3 billion multistate agreement, Allergan is required to stop selling opioids for the next ten years and Teva is required to stop opioid marketing and ensure systems are in place to prevent drug misuse. CVS and Walgreens have agreed to monitor, report, and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions.
This settlement is one of many over the last few years between states and the pharmaceutical industry for its role in the opioid crisis.
“The unrestrained access of these drugs has had a devastating impact on our communities. This settlement holds the entire industry accountable and demonstrates our commitment to changing the business practices of opioid drug companies and their distributors,” Labrador said in a news release.
The Tuesday news release also noted that an additional final agreement with Walmart pharmacies is expected in the coming weeks.
Figures from the Attorney General’s Office prior to the new agreement show that the state had received over $12 million, cities and counties have received over $8 million, and public health districts have received over $5 million in opioid settlement funds so far.
The Idaho Behavioral Health Council is currently taking public input on how the state should use its share of opioid abatement funds. The council will give lawmakers its recommendations in the next legislative session.
Logan Finney | Associate Producer
Logan Finney is a North Idaho native with a passion for media production and boring government meetings. He grew up skiing, hunting and hiking in the mountains of Bonner County and has maintained a lifelong interest in the state’s geography, history and politics. Logan joined the Idaho Reports team in 2020 as a legislative session intern and stayed to cover the COVID-19 pandemic. He was hired as an associate producer in 2021 and they haven’t been able to get rid of him since.
