THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, ApRil 8, 2022 Page 11 AG Healey, state and local leaders celebrate $525M in funding to abate opioid crisis F ollowing her office’s announcement of a $26 billion resolution with the nation’s three largest drug distributors which manufactured and marketed opioids – Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen – as well as Johnson & Johnson, Attorney General Maura Healey recently joined with mayors and municipal and health care leaders from across the state and families harmed by opioids to celebrate $525 million that has been secured for prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery programs throughout Massachusetts. As part of the resolution, which was first announced in July 2021, municipalities across the country were eligible to sign-on to receive settlement funds to abate the opioid crisis in their communities. On April 5, 2022, Healey announced that, because of widespread support from cities and towns, Massachusetts will receive the maximum amount under the settlements. In addition, as the result of an agreement secured by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Offi ce, all of the funds will go toward abatement resources for communities and families to address the devastating impact of the opioid crisis throughout the state. “Massachusetts led the nation in taking on the opioid industry, and we will lead the nation in delivering prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery,” said Healey. “Cities and towns across our state worked together to secure more than half a billion dollars, and we are committed to using every dollar to provide the services that families need.” Under the terms of the settlements, more than $525 million will be coming into Massachusetts over the next 18 years starting this spring. Of that, more than $210 million will be distributed directly to Massachusetts municipalities, and more than $310 million will go into the statewide Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund to ensure that funds are spent on harm reduction, treatment and prevention. These settlements are the result of an investigation that found that three major opioid distributors shipped thousands of suspicious orders without regard for their legitimacy and that Johnson & Johnson misled patients and doctors about their addictive nature. The first two annual payments due under the settlements are expected to fl ow into the state this spring and summer. From 2023 through 2038, the payments are expected annually in July. Statements of Support Boston Mayor Michelle Wu “Our administration will be working closely with public health experts and the recovery community to ensure every dollar of this funding delivers impact. As we continue to make progress on the intertwined issues of homelessness, mental health, and the opiate crisis, these resources $525M | SEE PAGE 12 Everett residents named to Principal’s List and Honor Roll at St. Mary’s S t. Mary’s High School recently announced that Jessica Young of Everett was named to the Principal’s List for the second quarter of the 2021-22 academic year. Freddy Bermudez, also of Everett, was named to the Honor Roll. Students must achieve a 90 in all their classes to be eligible for the Principal’s List. Honor Roll students must achieve an 85 in all their classes. DEA warns of increase in mass-overdose events involving deadly fentanyl T he Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently sent a letter to federal, state, and local law enforcement partners warning of a nationwide spike in fentanyl-related mass-overdose events. Administrator Anne Milgram outlined the current threat and off ered DEA support to law enforcement offi - cers responding to these tragic incidents. “Fentanyl is killing Americans at an unprecedented rate,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Already this year, numerous mass-overdose events have resulted in dozens of overdoses and deaths. Drug traffickers are driving addiction, and increasing their profi ts, by mixing fentanyl with other illicit drugs. Tragically, many overdose victims have no idea they are ingesting deadly fentanyl, until it’s too late.” Fentanyl-related mass-overdose events, characterized as three or more overdoses occurring close in time and at the same location, have happened in at least seven AmerMASS-OVERDOSE | SEE PAGE 16
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