Missoula County to participate in opioid settlement against Purdue

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) A series of settlements reached with opioid manufactures could provide Missoula County and the Missoula metropolitan area with more than $1 million to address the crisis created by the addictive drug.

Commissioners on Tuesday approved the county's participation in three national settlement agreements including Purdue/Sackler and a group of eight smaller manufacturers. Commissioners also approved the county's participation in the Purdue bankruptcy plan, which also is related to the settlement.

“The money has to be spent on opioid abatement,” said deputy county attorney John Hart. “It's very expansive, but at the end of the day, there has to be some relationship to the opioid crisis and helping people who need help and have been victimized by it.”

According to the National Opioids Settlement, Purdue Pharma has reached a $7.4 billion settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits against it. The so-called G8 settlement also includes a $720 million agreement with eight smaller drug manufacturers.

If the settlement against Purdue Pharma is approved, Hart said the Missoula metro area could see around $1.06 million. The county would receive around $182,000 and the money would be distributed over the course of several years.

“The other settlement identified as the G8 opioid settlement is a settlement with eight smaller opioid manufacturers,” Hart added. “Missoula County could see just south of $26,000. The metro area could see as much as $148,000. Those are payments that would be spread over a number of years.”

Under the settlement, Missoula County must vote in favor of the Purdue bankruptcy plan and agree to participate in the settlements against Purdue and the G8.

“Local governments, state governments and tribal governments around the county are in the same process and on the same timeline,” Hart said. “As long as a sufficient number of those government entities agree to participate in these settlements, then they'll be approved by the court.”

In Montana, the settlement funds go directly to the state. The Montana Department of Justice dictates how the money is distributed.

“That distribution system in the state of Montana has already been agreed to in prior settlements,” Hart said. “This money will be distributed in the same way.”