Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield participated in a March 5, 2025 town hall in Phoenix. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror)

Oregon AG says settlement holds companies responsible for role in opioid crisis

 

Oregon will receive $66 million to put toward programs to fight drug addiction after reaching a settlement with the Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced the settlement on Wednesday. It adds to the $645 million Oregon has secured in lawsuits against pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers since 2021 for their alleged role in fueling the opioid crisis.

“We will not stop fighting to hold opioid companies accountable for the devastation they’ve caused,” Rayfield said in a news release. “Oregon families deserve justice, and every dollar we recover will go toward healing our communities and building a future free from this crisis.”

There were 1,480 overdose deaths in Oregon in 2024, and at least one opioid was identified as a cause of death in 76% of overdoses in 2023, according to the Oregon Heath Authority. Synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, are the main substances involved in fatal overdoses.

Oregon is one of 15 states receiving funds in the $7.4 billion national deal. The Sackler family will pay up to $6.5 billion and their company will pay up to $900 million.

The Beaver State will receive its funds over a nine-year period — with 45% of the funds going toward the state’s opioid settlement fund and 55% going to local prevention and recovery programs. Some local programs, like in Clackamas County, use the opioid settlement funds for programs supporting jail opioid detoxes, medication for opioid use disorder, school programming and peer recovery support.

The agreement is still subject to a bankruptcy process, but Oregon’s acceptance marks a significant step toward finalizing the deal, according to the attorney general’s news release. If approved, the settlement will deliver funds to the participating states, local governments, affected individuals and other parties who have previously sued the Sacklers or Purdue. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia sued along with Oregon.

“This settlement ensures Oregon communities receive much-needed resources like drug treatment and prevention programs,” Rayfield said. “It’s about helping the communities that have carried the weight of the opioid crisis for too long and making sure the companies that helped cause this damage are held responsible.”