New Hanover County was the first North Carolina County that sued major pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors over their roles in fueling the nationwide opioid crisis.
The overdose rate in this county is 39.7 per 100,000 residents, which is comparatively higher than the state average, which is 28.4 per 100,000 residents. As per the latest estimates, 93 residents of the county died in 2020 alone.
In July 2021, multi-district litigation was combined, including more than 3,000 lawsuits from nearly every state, which resulted in a $26-billion settlement agreement. On January 10, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and the North Carolina League of Municipalities announced that the 45 largest municipalities in North Carolina, along with 100 counties, have signed the national settlement against Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen.
All 50 states will get an adequate amount to deal with the opioid crisis, and North Carolina is slated to receive nearly $750 million. The settlement will provide a decent fighting chance for the North Carolinians who are addicted to drug abuse and will also help to prevent the future opioid epidemic.
New Hanover County is set to receive the sixth largest settlement amount of roughly $18 million after The City of Wilmington's $769,823, Brunswick County's $13.7 million and Pender County's $3.8 million.
A spokesperson for the county said that the officials are yet to decide about the usage of the funds to implement programs, initiatives and solutions that will help people who are struggling with opioid abuse.
