opioid crisis

Tompkins County is looking for ways to distribute opioid settlement funds, and is looking to the community for help.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the million-dollar settlement funds in April. Now, Onondaga County is beginning to put them to use.

Last year, New York joined a legal settlement with three distributors of prescription opioid pills. This week, New York counties received the first installment of the settlement money. New York’s share of the settlement is $1.1 billion, which will be paid out in installments over the next 18 years.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday that $37 million is coming to central New York, from settlements reached with opioid drug manufacturers and distributors. All of the funding will go towards opioid treatment and prevention.

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of bills into law Thursday dealing with the opioid addiction crisis, saying the issue is a personal one for her family.

A two-year-long investigation by New York State Attorney General Letitia James and 13 police agencies came to a head this week. As a result, 78…

Empire of Pain author Patrick Radden Keefe says the Sackler family has "thrown a lot of energy" into trying to thwart his reporting about the family's involvement in the opioid crisis.

The Biden administration had Day 1 plans for the pandemic, economy and climate change. Experts say they haven't yet seen that same focus on the addiction crisis, which is killing 220 people a day.

The Justice Department says the retailer ignored red flags for years, filling suspicious prescriptions for opioids and contributing to America's deadly addiction crisis. Walmart denies wrongdoing.

Damages could total in the billions. "Walmart had the responsibility and the means to help prevent the diversion of prescription opioids. Instead, for years, it did the opposite," the government said.