ATLANTA — Georgia will get at least $28 million to help fund opioid addiction treatment as part of a more than $3 billion settlement between a coalition of states and Walmart, state Attorney General Chris Carr said Monday.
The coalition had accused Walmart of failing to "appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores and therefore contributed to the opioid crisis," according to a release by Carr's office.
The base payment of $28 million to Georgia will "help fund critical treatment and recovery services for those struggling with opioid use disorder," the release said.
It's unclear if Georgia could eventually get more money under the settlement. Carr's office said Walmart was not part of ongoing litigation by the state targeting opioid distributors, but "approached the state with this settlement offer, which Georgia then accepted."
The Associated Press reported on Walmart's offer last month. According to Carr's office, Georgia joined the settlement on Dec. 15.
"The national settlement requires Walmart to comply with robust oversight measures to help prevent the filling of fraudulent prescriptions and flag suspicious prescriptions," Carr's release said.
Georgia joins nearly every state in the country - 49 in all - in joining the settlement or settling on their own with Walmart.
“The opioid epidemic has destroyed lives, families, and communities all across our state and nation,” Carr said in a statement. “By joining this settlement, we will receive much-needed resources to help support Georgians in recovery and our neighbors struggling with addiction. This is one of several actions we have taken to help combat the opioid crisis, and we will continue to do all we can to address the damage it’s caused throughout our state.”