Florida receives $40 million in opioid settlement

Florida’s COVID-19 ravaged budget received a shot-in-the-arm Thursday after the state reached a $40 million settlement with a company that helped “turbocharge the opioid epidemic,” Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Thursday.

McKinsey & Company, a global consulting firm, settled with Moody and attorneys general from 47 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories for their alleged role in the opioid epidemic. 

Florida will receive $40 million of the $537 million settlement.

In a news release, Moody said state lawmakers could allocate most of the money into the state budget.

“I’m pleased this money will be available to help Floridians very soon, and I will work alongside our great legislative leaders to ensure funds are allocated to areas hit hard by the opioid crisis,” Moody said. “While securing these funds is a great win for Florida, our work is far from over, and I remain committed to fighting tooth and nail, both inside and outside the courtroom, to stop the death and destruction inflicted on Florida families by opioid abuse.”

While McKinsey & Company did not admit wrongdoing, court filings detail the company’s decade-long marketing scheme to opioid manufactures, including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma.

Moody said Florida’s settlement money will be used to address opioid issues in Florida. 

Meanwhile, House Speaker Chris Sprowls noted the opioid epidemic’s impact on Floridians. 

“This epidemic has impacted families across Florida and this settlement is another step toward righting these wrongs,” Sprowls said in a statement. 

The settlement comes as lawmakers triage the state’s COVID-19 ravaged budget.

The Florida Legislature will address a more than $2 billion revenue shortfall during the 2021 Legislative Session. 

“As a state, we are doing all we can to address this terrible problem, and Floridians can take great pride in the fact that our Attorney General is a national leader in this effort,” said Senate President Wilton Simpson.

The complaint and consent judgment can be viewed online.