Skagit County considering settlement of opioid lawsuit

A settlement of a lawsuit with pharmacies and opioid manufacturers would mean about $362,000 a year for Skagit County substance abuse programs.

If the Skagit County Board Commissioners agrees to accept the settlement, the funding could be committed to county programs, Sarah Hinman, assistant director of county Public Health, said in a presentation Monday.

According to the terms of the settlement, this money will come annually for the next 17 years to states, cities and counties that signed on to the lawsuit. Nationwide, about $864 million will be distributed.

This suit was against manufacturers Allergen and Teva, as well as pharmacies Walmart, CVS and Walgreens, for their roles in producing and perpetuating the opioid epidemic. Suits against other companies are still pending.

Hinman said she will bring this issue back to the commissioners in a few weeks for their decision.

This is the second such settlement Skagit County has considered. In September, the commissioners agreed to a $181,000-a-year payment as part of a statewide settlement with three drug companies.