Staff Reports
Walgreens to pay $230 million to San Francisco to settle opioid case
The San Francisco government, which has shouldered much of the burden in the opioid epidemic created by the opioid industry, has reached a settlement with Walgreens to put an end to the case filed against the pharmaceutical company for its role in distributing opioids in San Francisco. In a report by Reuters, the US District Judge Charles Breyer stated that Walgreens played a significant role in the drug epidemic that caused “widespread harm” in the city. The company’s San Francisco locations received over 1.2 million opioid prescriptions with “red flags” from 2006 to 2020 and only conducted “due diligence” on less than 5% before dispensing the prescriptions.
Major Drugstore Chain to Pay San Francisco Hundreds of Millions in Opioid Lawsuit Settlement https://t.co/qIEQeZHsU7
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 18, 2023
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu stated in a recent announcement that opioids have been a significant threat to San Francisco, leading to “immense suffering and untold damage.” San Francisco has expended considerable resources in an attempt to hold the opioid industry accountable for the nation’s public health crisis. Walgreens has agreed to pay $230 million as a settlement for its role in spreading opioids in San Francisco.
The Court found Walgreens substantially contributed to the opioid epidemic & created a public nuisance in San Francisco. Walgreens over-dispensed opioids without due diligence & failed to report suspicious orders as required by law.
— David Chiu (@DavidChiu) May 17, 2023
San Francisco’s lawsuit was the first opioid bench trial in the U.S. to result in a win for plaintiffs. Our litigation has yielded over $350 million in cash payments, fees, and benefits to address the opioid crisis in the City.
— David Chiu (@DavidChiu) May 17, 2023
The opioid epidemic has wreaked havoc on our City & nation, but this settlement ensures that Walgreens is held accountable for their role in the opioid crisis on our streets.
— David Chiu (@DavidChiu) May 17, 2023
This is not the first time Walgreens has faced penalties for its role in the opioid epidemic. The company reached a $683 million settlement with Florida in 2020. Beyond a doubt, Walgreens’ contribution to the opioid epidemic is undeniable. The opioid crisis is a significant threat to public health, and we should be grateful for the quick action that paramedics took when a 10-month-old baby was exposed to fentanyl at a playground in San Francisco. The baby nearly lost his life and had to be resuscitated with Narcan.
Indeed, San Francisco has been at the forefront of the opioid epidemic. The opioid industry needs to be held accountable for creating a health crisis. The Walgreens settlement sends a message to the pharmaceutical industry that the public health crisis created by the opioid epidemic will not be tolerated, and those who contribute to this crisis will be penalized.
