BOISE – Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has announced Idaho has received more than $26 million in opioid settlement funds following the state’s final 2022 payment last week. The money is being distributed to the state, regional health districts, cities, and counties to fight the opioid addiction epidemic.
The money comes from three settlements and one bankruptcy. Idaho anticipates receiving a total of $128 million over the next 18 years. Additional settlements with other opioid defendants in the coming years could yield additional payments.
“These funds will play an integral role in helping Idaho push back against the opioid epidemic,” Wasden said. “The payments we’ve received thus far allow state, regional and local governments to begin implementing the programs that will ultimately help our state recover from the addiction crisis.”
The payments are being distributed three ways based on Idaho’s Intrastate Allocation Agreement. So far, state payments total $12.1 million, health district payments total $5.8 million, and city and county payments total $8.1 million. The money must be used for approved opioid abatement programs.
The largest portion of the payments come from a $119 million settlement announced in May 2022. The payments are the second largest of their kind in Idaho history, behind the 1998 tobacco settlement. Idaho’s tobacco payments have totaled more than a half billion dollars and the state continues to receive more than $20 million each year. Like the opioid abatement programs, a portion of Idaho’s tobacco funds is used to fight smoking and improve public health.
Additional information about Idaho’s opioid settlement funds is available here.