UPDATE FEBRUARY 3, 2022:
UNDATED (AP)- Money that will flow to Native American tribes as part of an opioid drug settlement with a major manufacturer and three distributors won’t come quickly. But tribal leaders say it will play a part in healing their communities from an epidemic that has disproportionately killed Native Americans. Tribes have responded to the opioid crisis with healing and wellness centers, additional tools for law enforcement and an emphasis on culture and tradition. Many of the financial resources have been thin. Each of the 574 federally recognized tribes will be eligible for a share of $590 million from the settlement, even if they weren’t part of lawsuits.
FEBRUARY 1, 2022:
UNDATED (AP)- Native American tribes in the U.S. have reached settlements worth $590 million over opioids. A federal court filing made Tuesday (Feb. 1, 2022) in Cleveland lays out the details of the settlements with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and distribution companies AmerisoruceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson. The same companies are close to final approval of a $26 billion settlement with state and local governments of claims about their roles in a crisis linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. Some tribes have been hit particularly hard by the overdose and addiction crisis.
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