KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County announced Monday that the county would receive $13 million as part of a national settlement from Johnson & Johnson for their role in the opioid crisis.
"The county filed a civil lawsuit in 2018 against the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies for their deliberate and deceptive marketing strategies of opioid painkillers, resulting in high overdose and fatality rates throughout Jackson County," the county said in a release.
According to the release, the health department will begin planning to distribute the funds, which will be used on prevention and treatment options related to the opioid crisis.
"I am committed to making sure that these dollars are used to repair as much of the damage as we can, while also ensuring that we reduce the pain that continues to happen in Jackson County because of opioid addiction," Jackson County executive Frank White, Jr. said.
The funds will come over the course of 18 years, starting in April 2022. The nationwide settlement adds up to about $26 billion.
—
For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
