March 14, 2022
Governor Phil Murphy announced today that New Jersey will receive $641 million in the massive $26 billion opioid manufacturer and distributer settlement that was recently finalized. He also announced that the funds will be allocated over the next 16 years to confront opioid addiction in New Jersey.
The settlement money will be paid to New Jersey through 2038, and as it comes in, it will fund state and local programs focused on treatment, prevention, and other strategies to combat the opioid epidemic.
Governor Murphy was quoted on roi-nj.com saying, "This is a historic moment in our fight to combat the opioid crisis in New Jersey and save lives . . . With these historic funds, we will continue to make critical investments in harm reduction centers, treatment programs and data-driven strategies to end the overdose crisis. With these funds, coupled with the nearly $100 million investment in my proposed budget, we will continue our work to combat the opioid crisis in New Jersey."
Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin was also quoted on the matter saying, "No amount of money could undo the harms that the opioid epidemic has caused to too many New Jerseyans . . . But these historic settlements will bring hundreds of millions of dollars into our state to support lifesaving drug prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery programs, and will require these drug companies to change their business practices so that this does not happen again. I am proud of the attorneys and investigators in the Department of Law and Public Safety who helped deliver these settlement funds to New Jersey."
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