Last week all 55 U.S. states and territories including Attorney General Kris Mayes signed on to a landmark $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. The agreement marks the largest to date with individuals held responsible for the opioid epidemic.
It removes Sackler control over Purdue and bans them from selling opioids in the U.S. – something that was very important to the plaintiffs.
Arizona is poised to receive up to $108 million over the next 15 years for opioid interventions like 1) Addiction treatment & recovery services; 2) Prevention & public awareness; and 3) Infrastructure and workforce development.
For example, Maricopa County has already channeled opioid settlement money into staffing, tools, and community grants to serve local organizations.
More than half of the money is slated for payment during the first three years including a first infusion of $1.5 billion from the Sacklers and $900 million from Purdue. This front-loaded structure means Arizona (and other states) can quickly ramp up interventions while keeping the momentum going over time.
What’s next for Arizona?
- Local agreements: County and city governments across Arizona will be invited to formally take part once the settlement receives final approval from the bankruptcy court
- Strategic investment planning: Agencies like Maricopa County Public Health and Pima County are already mapping out targeted use of these funds—from peer counseling to naloxone distribution and school prevention efforts.
- Tracking outcomes: Jurisdictions will have to report annually on their impact and expenditures.
