NEWS RELEASE
COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERAL PHIL WEISER
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Attorney General Phil Weiser today announced that he reached an agreement in principle with Kroger that will require the grocery chain to pay $1.37 billion to participating states and local governments for its role in the opioid crisis.
“The number of overdose deaths from opioids is a clarion call for action. By holding accountable those who contributed to this crisis, we are continuing to take action and we are bringing back funds to Colorado to support much needed prevention, treatment, and recovery services,” said Weiser. “These funds are now being invested and we will continue to do all we can to address this crisis and save lives.”
The agreement would only be applicable to states in which Kroger operates, both under its own name or under the name of other subsidiaries. In Colorado, Kroger owns King Soopers and City Market. The state is expected to receive approximately $70 million from a settlement.
With prior settlements and the Kroger settlement in principle reached today, Colorado is on track to receive over $770 million in opioid settlements from drug manufacturers, drug distributors, chain pharmacies, and other companies that will be distributed to regional opioid abatement councils and local governments for treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and prevention and education programs. In addition to the financial terms, a final settlement remains contingent on agreement on critical business practice changes.
The negotiations have been led by attorneys general from California, Colorado, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Illinois, and Virginia.
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