Burke to receive $2.5 million more in opioid settlement funds

You can add another $2.5 million to the $25 million Burke County is already receiving through the national opioid lawsuit settlement.

Attorneys general of all 55 eligible states and U.S. territories agreed to sign on to a $7.4 billion settlement from Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family.

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson made the announcement Monday. The state’s share is $145.4 million, of which Burke will receive $2.584 million.

The county was already set to receive a total of more than $25.2 million, disbursed incrementally between 2022 and 2038.

Burke’s newly formed Opioid Advisory Committee met for the first time Tuesday.

The 11-person board will work with Opioid Settlement Coordinator Dr. Katie Samuels to determine how to put the money to use fighting opioid addiction and overdose in Burke.

Jackson was pleased with the settlement and said it’s about time the Sacklers paid for their part in creating a nationwide epidemic.

“Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family are responsible for creating the opioid epidemic that continues to take the lives of North Carolinians every single day,” Jackson said. “Our office helped lead these talks, which will bring billions to people across the state and country to help them address opioid misuse and begin and stay in recovery.

“And the Sacklers won’t be able to manipulate doctors and patients to start another addiction epidemic again. We’re all safer for having them out of the pharma business. Like they’ve repeatedly done, I look forward to North Carolina’s local governments signing on so we can receive our full share of the funds.”