Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced on Thursday that Georgia will soon receive over $55 million to expand access to opioid treatment, prevention and recovery services.
The funding is apart of a finalized settlement agreement with grocery and pharmacy retail chain Kroger, which allegedly contributed to the national opioid epidemic.
The overall settlement will see over $1.37 billion divided among a coalition of 30 states. The Ohio-based retail giant has also agreed to provide injunctive relief, requiring its pharmacies to monitor, report and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions, according to a Thursday press release.
The Georgia Department of Health has documented a 302% increase in opioid-involved overdose deaths in the state from 2010 to 2022. Fentanyl appears to be a leading cause of death, with overdose deaths related to the drug increasing by 308% from 2019 to 2022, or roughly 1,601 deaths per year during this time period.
“The opioid crisis knows no economic, geographic or demographic boundaries, and it continues to have a devastating impact on families and communities throughout our state,” said Carr in the release. “We’re fighting this battle on multiple fronts by declaring war on fentanyl and holding accountable those who have contributed to this crisis in the first place.”
