{"id":1625936,"date":"2023-04-20T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/khn.org\/?page_id=1625936"},"modified":"2025-11-03T13:55:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T18:55:03","slug":"opioid-settlements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/opioid-settlements\/","title":{"rendered":"Payback: Tracking the Opioid Settlement Cash"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/span>\"\"
\n

Payback<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Tracking the Opioid Settlement Cash<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

Opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are paying tens of billions of dollars in restitution to settle lawsuits about their role in the overdose epidemic, with little oversight on how the money is spent. We\u2019re tracking how state and local governments use \u2014 or misuse \u2014 the cash.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Featured articles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow Are States Spending Opioid Settlement Cash? We Built a Database of Answers\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

December 16, 2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t

From addiction treatment to toy robot ambulances, we uncovered how billions in opioid settlement funds were used by state and local governments in 2022 and 2023. Find out where the money went.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t

<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFrom Narcan to Gun Silencers, Opioid Settlement Cash Pays Law Enforcement Tabs\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

November 3, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t

Local governments have received hundreds of millions of dollars from the opioid settlements to support addiction treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts. Their spending decisions in 2024 were sometimes surprising and even controversial. Our new database offers more than 10,500 examples.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t

<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSock Hops and Concerts: How Some Places Spent Opioid Settlement Cash\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

November 3, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t

States, counties, and cities are receiving millions in opioid settlement money to address the addiction crisis. The ways they spent the dollars in 2024 sometimes drew criticism from advocates and at least one state official, who alleged misuse.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t

<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n