PHILADELPHIA – Today, a group of State Attorneys Generals announced that a nationwide settlement with Johnson & Johnson and the Big 3 opioid distributors is close to being finalized and will purportedly pay $26 billion over 18 years. Mayor Kenney issued the following statement in response:

“There can be no dispute that Philadelphia has been hit particularly hard by the opioid epidemic, with overdoses involving opioids a leading cause of death in our city. Resources to address this public health crisis are immensely important. However, at first look, the money provided for in the settlement is too little and will be paid over too long a period of time. We do not even know how—or if—Pennsylvania’s money would be distributed to Philadelphia.

“We are extremely disappointed that the Attorneys General have negotiated a proposed settlement without providing Philadelphia and other communities that have been most directly impacted by the crisis a meaningful voice and opportunity to participate. Local governments like Philadelphia have been on the frontlines of this pandemic, and we demand meaningful engagement and a significant allocation of any settlement. We have been fighting to hold opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for several years and we will continue to do this important work.”