Philadelphia on Friday announced a $110 million settlement with Walgreens for what the City said was "the company’s role in supplying and perpetuating the opioid addiction crisis in Philadelphia."
The settlement stemmed from Philly's 2021 suit against the pharmacy chain.
"The City began litigation efforts in 2017 to hold manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy dispensaries of prescription opioids accountable for fueling the opioid epidemic," a news release from Philadelphia said. "The Opioid Settlement Fund spending plan was announced in 2023, with plans to utilize and distribute settlement funds from several related lawsuits."
While agreeing to pay $22 million a year over the next five years, Walgreen's denies any wrongdoing in the settlement.
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"Through this settlement, the City of Philadelphia has successfully held Walgreens accountable for oversupplying powerful drugs to people in our communities -- with little consideration for the risk of addiction or harm posed by opioids," a "proud" Mayor Cherelle Parker said. "The $110 million in funds from this settlement will support our Kensington Community Revitalization Plan and other efforts across Philadelphia to reinforce public health and safety in neighborhoods that have been hit the hardest by the opioid crisis."
The first payment is expected in September, the City said.
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