Howard County receives $562K in Meijer opioid settlement money

Tyler Juranovich, Kokomo Tribune, Ind.
·2 min read

Jun. 25—Howard County is receiving more than half a million dollars in additional opioid settlement money.

The Howard County Board of Commissioners last week unanimously approved establishing a fund to deposit $562,000 from a national class action lawsuit against Meijer Inc., the Michigan-based superstore chain, that the county joined.

The county has received the money in one lump sum, County Attorney Alan Wilson said, and will have to spend at least 85% of the funds on opioid use and addiction abatement. The other 15% can be spent at the commissioners' discretion. How exactly that money will be spent has not yet been decided.

Meijer, like many other pharmacies across the country, were sued by communities for their alleged role in contributing to the opioid epidemic. Meijer specifically was alleged to have "contributed to the opioid crisis by creating a public nuisance through its distribution of prescription opioid medications sent to the pharmacies it owns and operates in its stores," according to the class action lawsuit.

Meijer denied those allegations and is not admitting any guilt in choosing to settle the lawsuit. The total amount for the settlement was $35 million.

This marks at least the second time Howard County has received settlement money related to lawsuits filed over the opioid epidemic.

The county will also receive a total of $4.3 million through 2038 from a separate national settlement with drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and national distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson and Amerisource Bergen.

In December, the commissioners approved allocating the first two years (2022 and 2023) worth of that opioid settlement money, totaling more than $982,562, to five local organizations, including Turning Point — A System of Care, Howard County Drug Free Task Force, Valley of Grace, Gilead House and Family Service Association of Howard County.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.