From addiction treatment to toy robot ambulances, here's how state and local governments used billions in opioid settlement funds in 2022 and 2023. Explore this database to find our how officials are using the payouts where you live.
An effective treatment for opioid addiction is easier to get after the Biden administration changed rules. That's making a difference for some people battling opioid use disorder, but access is still limited.
Ravi Coutinho bought a health insurance plan thinking it would give him access to mental health providers. But even after 21 phone calls and multiple hospitalizations, no one could find him a therapist.
Portugal cut drug deaths by 80%, using free health care and addiction treatment. The U.S., meanwhile, focused on drug busts and tough crime laws. Overdose deaths keep rising catastrophically.
Some $1.5 billion flowed to local government coffers this year, sparking debates about transparency and how to spend the money. Here are 5 takeaways from a year's worth of reporting on the issue.
Some state and local governments have started tapping in to opioid settlement funds for law enforcement expenses. Many argue it should go toward treating addiction instead.
Overdose deaths from fentanyl and other opioids have surged but medications that could save thousands of lives "are sitting on the shelf unused," according to new research.
State attorneys general vowed the funds would go toward tackling the addiction crisis. But as with the tobacco payouts of the 1990s, local officials have started using them to fill budget shortfalls.
All told, drugmakers and distributors will pay over $50 billion to communities harmed by opioids. An investigation finds that only a dozen states are letting the public see how they use the money.
The cash represents an unprecedented opportunity to derail the opioid epidemic. But with countless groups advocating for a share of the pie, the impact could depend heavily on geography and politics.
Nick Carusillo died when he was hit by multiple vehicles on a Georgia interstate, just days after he was abruptly discharged from an addiction treatment center. Now his parents hope a substantial jury verdict in their favor will prompt change that helps others suffering from mental illness and substance abuse.
Methadone helps people quit addictions to drugs like heroin, oxycodone and fentanyl. But for the first three months of treatment, patients must report daily to a clinic to get methadone — a problem for rural Georgians.
