BALTIMORE, MD – Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's Counties have recently received significant funds for a nearly $24 million installment. This sum is part of the 2023 payments due under consent judgments with the three largest pharmaceutical distributors in the United States – McKesson, Cardinal Health, Amerisource Bergen – and Johnson & Johnson.
These payments are the latest installment of approximately $395 million that Maryland and its subdivisions will receive over 18 years. The settlements, entered into last year, resolved the companies' liability for illegally marketing and distributing opioids before the settlements' effective dates.
Of the nearly $24 million distributed to the State and its subdivisions, Calvert County received $99,209.98 in direct payments and $178,577.96 in targeted abatement grants, totaling $277,787.94. Charles County received $127,612.26 and $229,702.06, respectively, amounting to $357,314.32. St. Mary's County obtained $88,786.56 in direct payments and $159,815.81 in grants, totaling $248,602.37.
These funds are a part of more than $13.6 million allocated to the subdivisions from the settlements, including over $4.8 million in direct payments and nearly $8.8 million in targeted abatement grants from the State. All funding is committed to abating the opioid crisis.
Maryland and its subdivisions have received over $84 million in total from these settlements.
"Opioid addiction has been the source of too much pain and devastation in our communities, tearing apart families and leaving a trail of suffering," Attorney General Brown stated.
Around $10 million will be placed in the State's Opioid Restitution Fund for opioids-related abatement programs. Another nearly $8.8 million will be deposited for targeted abatement grants to 58 qualifying subdivisions. The remaining approximately $4.9 million has already been distributed to local governments for local opioids abatement funds established under agreements with the Office of the Attorney General.
These settlements provide a vital financial support system to help deter and prevent wrongdoers from continuing to harm citizens and communities. They will enable state health policymakers, the Opioid Operational Command Center ("OOCC") of the Maryland Department of Health, local governments, and health officials to implement programs that assist afflicted Marylanders.
In announcing the State's receipt of funds, Attorney General Brown emphasized that the work to bring those responsible for the opioid crisis to justice is ongoing.
The settlements with pharmaceutical companies signify a monumental step in Maryland's fight against opioid addiction. The targeted funds for Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's Counties, as well as other subdivisions, will contribute to healing and restoration within these communities, reflecting the State's commitment to standing up against the devastation caused by opioid abuse.
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