Johnson & Johnson Settles with Washington State for $149.5M Over Opioid Crisis

The settlement, still pending judicial approval, mandates $123.3 million to be spent on combating the opioid crisis in the state.

Johnson & Johnson has agreed to a $149.5 million settlement with the state of Washington over its role in the opioid crisis.
The settlement comes more than four years after the state sued the company, alleging it helped fuel the opioid addiction crisis.
Under the deal, $123.3 million will be spent by the state and local governments to address the opioid crisis, including on substance abuse treatment, expanded access to overdose-reversal drugs, and support services for pregnant women on substances.
The settlement still requires approval from a judge. If approved, it would send over $20 million more to respond to the opioid crisis than if the state had signed onto a national settlement in 2021 involving Johnson & Johnson.
The deal comes about two years after the nation’s three largest opioid distributors agreed to pay the state $518 million, with the vast majority being directed toward easing the addiction epidemic.