SEATTLE (AP) — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson says the first payments from a $518 million settlement with the nation’s three largest opioid distributors will begin reaching the state in December. The money will provide much-needed cash officials can use to hire first responders or direct toward prevention, treatment and other services. Washington reached the settlement in May after declining to join a national settlement with the distributors — McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and AmerisourceBergen Corp. — as well as Johnson & Johnson. Ferguson announced Monday that the settlement had been unanimously approved by 125 cities and counties. The money will be paid out over 17 years, beginning with $55 million on Dec. 1.
$500M-plus from opioid deal starts heading to Washington
