Minnesota to get over $300M from $26B multistate opioid settlement

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota is set to collect more than $300 million from a $26 billion multistate opioid settlement.

The settlement involves opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three major drug distributors—Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen—who are accused of worsening the opioid epidemic, according to a news release.

Attorney General Keith Ellison said the money will bring much needed relief to communities that have been devastated by the crisis.

"There is no amount of money that can ever make up for the death and destruction these companies caused in the pure pursuit of profit. No amount of money can bring back the nearly 5,000 lives we lost in Minnesota or fully restore the communities devastated in every part of our state," Ellison said in a statement. "But it is still critically important to hold these companies financially accountable for their role in creating and extending the opioid crisis, and this agreement does that and more."

Meanwhile, Wisconsin is set to receive about $400 million from the settlement.

States have 30 days to sign onto the deal and local governments have until Jan. 1 to join and Ellison is encouraging every Minnesota community to do so. State and their local governments will receive maximum payments if each state and its local governments join the agreement, the release said.