New Jersey to Receive Settlement from Opiate Manufactureres & Distributors
Officials in New Jersey announced on March 11, 2022 that the state will receive $641 million in settlements from opioid manufacturers and distributors, which will be shared between the state and local governments.
Johnson & Johnson, located in New Brunswick, manufactured the opioids, and will pay part of the settlement. The remainder will come from McKesson, Cardinal Health, and Conshohocken-based AmerisourceBergen, the country’s three largest pharmaceutical wholesalers.
Prior to a roundtable discussion on how the money will aid in the battle against the opioid epidemic, Gov. Phil Murphy and Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin made the news public from Behavioral Crossroads Recovery in Egg Harbor Township.
The state of New Jersey is getting the most money possible. The businesses will make payments until 2038. The state will get 50% of the settlement, with the other half distributed among the 21 counties and 241 municipalities.
How Camden County Will Benefit
Of the $641 million dollars, Camden County will receive $32 million in distributions over the next 20 years. Lou Cappelli, the Camden County Commissioner Director called the additional funding a game changer, saying, “By having the funds from this settlement and future settlements, we will have a nice pipeline of funds that will be able to help our residents moving forward.”
Per the terms of this settlement, the money will go toward funding addiction treatment programs, including medication-assisted treatment for OUD, addiction awareness education efforts, and harm reduction initiatives. The funding is badly needed in Camden County, where unmet demand for substance abuse treatment as a percent of total demand is over 54%.
While 2021 saw a decrease in fatal overdoses in Camden County compared to the previous year, the state of New Jersey as a whole saw a 1% increase. Of the 290 overdose deaths that occurred in Camden County in 2021, 93% had opioids present in toxicology reports and 70% had fentanyl present.
All In Solutions Cherry Hill – Camden County Opiate Addiction Treatment
Individuals struggling with opioid addiction in Camden County can receive effective inpatient and outpatient treatment at All In Solutions Cherry Hill. The New Jersey opioid addiction treatment program offers both traditional and medication-assisted treatment plans to help individuals overcome addiction to prescription opiates and illicit drugs like heroin. Call today or visit our Cherry Hill treatment center to learn more about our substance use disorder treatment programs.
