AG announces opioid settlements

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas has announced that his office has resolved its opioid litigation against retail pharmacy chain operators Walmart, CVS, and Albertsons in a statewide deal that will deliver more than $132 million to the state and to local communities to fund opioid abatement efforts within the next 90 days.

When combined with previously announced settlements obtained from other manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, Balderas’ office has obtained more than $368 million in opioid abatement funding for the state and its communities in the past year, according to a news release.

Like other opioid settlements negotiated by Balderas’ Consumer and Environmental Protection Division, the settlement divides funds between state and local governments and requires all funds be spent on efforts to address the opioid crisis statewide, according to the release.

The AG’s office will coordinate a statewide effort to get local governments signed up to participate in these deals over the next three months.

Balderas recently wrapped up a two-monthlong trial against pharmacy giant Walgreens in October, and a decision is expected from the court in that case in the coming weeks. Drug manufacturers Teva and Allergan, along with drug distributor Anda, are currently scheduled for trial in the state’s opioid litigation in March 2023.