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The wheels of justice can grind slowly, especially when large amounts of money are involved, but justice of some sort is being done.
Ƶ reported by the Ƶsociated Press on Thursday, members of the Sackler family, who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, and the company itself agreed to pay up to $7.4 billion in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller, the attorneys general from several states announced Thursday.
This settlement replaces a previous one that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the new settlement, the Sacklers agreed to pay up to $6.5 billion and give up ownership of the company, which would pay nearly $900 million. The maximum contribution from family members is $500 million more than the previous deal.
This probably falls far short of what opioid users and their families want to see. And itƵs not like this deal means the Sackler is destitute now. Ƶ the AP noted, Sackler family members Ƶhave been estimated to be worth billions more than theyƵd contribute in the settlement, but much of the wealth is in offshore accounts and might be impossible to access through lawsuits.Ƶ
There have been several lawsuits against Purdue Pharma, and settlements have reached into the billions.
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey agreed to this settlement.
ƵWhile West VirginiansƵ lives were being destroyed by opioid addiction, the Sacklers were cashing in every time someone got hooked Ƶ getting rich with no regard to the toll their drugs were taking on people, families and our communities,Ƶ McCuskey said in a statement.
Ƶ was said in this space on July 13, 2021, ƵNo amount of money can undo the damage the opioid epidemic has caused this nation, this region and this community. Too many lives have been lost and too many people continue to struggle with addiction. Too many of their family members suffer, also.
ƵFederal, state and local authorities across America are lining up at the trough to get as much money as they can from drug makers and drug distributors. When money becomes available through a settlement, there are arguments over who deserves more.Ƶ
The deal is not final; it could collapse or be rejected by a court again. But it does give Americans hope that justice is near.
If the deal does go through, individuals affected by the opioid epidemic will receive part of the settlement to compensate them for what the Sacklers and Purdue Pharma did, but much of the money will go to state and local governments. ItƵs incumbent upon elected officials to use the money to mitigate the damage that has been caused and prevent future substance abuses. There will be plenty of people and agencies lining up for a windfall. Wisdom is called for.
At least for now, the Sackler family is feeling a small amount of pain for the agony their business practices unleashed on the rest of us.
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