Attorney General Ken Paxton secures $168M for Texas in opioid agreement with Walmart

FILE - This June 25, 2019, file photo shows the entrance to a Walmart in Pittsburgh. Two of the largest U.S pharmacy chains have agreed in principle to pay about $10 billion combined to settle lawsuits over the toll of powerful prescription opioids, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022. In addition to the deals with CVS Health and Walgreens, a lawyer for local governments says settlement conversations are continuing with Walmart. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) (Gene J. Puskar, Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

TEXAS – On Thursday, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a planned $3.1 billion settlement with Walmart, with over $168 million designated for Texas, for Walmart’s role in the nationwide opioid epidemic.

The agreement is set to track the terms of the Global Prescription Opioid Litigation Settlement Agreement with the opioids distributors that was executed in July 2021.

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“The opioid epidemic has had devastating impacts on millions of Americans, and we are hopeful that we will reach a final agreement on all terms to ensure that Walmart is held responsible for their role in it,” said Paxton. “This settlement is yet another example of my office’s commitment to protecting the people of Texas and ensuring that we hold accountable those who have violated the law and worsened the effects of the opioid epidemic.”

This agreement is the latest opioid settlement that Paxton has negotiated for Texas. To date, Paxton said he has secured approximately $2.4 billion for Texas from the manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies, and others that caused the opioid crisis, including Walmart, Allergan, Mallinckrodt, Teva, Endo, Johnson & Johnson, and McKinsey.

Attorney General Paxton said he worked closely on these negotiations with the Attorneys General of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.


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