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<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5347in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D79905.09ABCFE0"></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">August 24, 2021</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Gov. Little, Attorney General Wasden announce intent to join national opioid settlements<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Settlements total $26 billion, including up to $119 million for Idaho<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">(Boise, Idaho) - Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and Governor Brad Little have announced their intention to have Idaho join two national opioid settlements, totaling up to $26 billion.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">One settlement involves opioid distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson. The other involves opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The settlements include up to $119 million for Idaho and its counties and cities.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Idaho’s local political subdivisions will be offered the opportunity to join in the settlements. Their joining now will maximize the benefit of these settlements with most of the money
going to expert-approved opioid abatement strategies. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The settlements are contingent upon enough other states also joining the agreement. That decision is expected to be announced in early September.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“These settlements will lead to programs that will help Idahoans dealing with opioid-related addiction, particularly if cities and counties act now,” Wasden said. “It is my judgment that
it is in the State of Idaho’s best interests to join. I urge our local subdivisions to join the state so we can maximize our recovery and enable them to receive benefits under the settlements in order to take care of our citizens.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“I applaud Attorney General Wasden and his deputies who represented Idaho’s interests in these lawsuits and worked hard to maximize Idaho’s share of the settlement proceeds. We are committed
to combatting substance misuse in Idaho and believe this settlement will help reduce the considerable threats to the well-being and safety of our citizens posed by the opioid crisis. I join the Attorney General in urging local subdivisions to join the settlement
and to cooperate with all stakeholders to ensure the funds Idaho will receive are best used for abating the opioid crisis in Idaho,” Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">As part of the settlements, opioid distributors would also create a nationwide clearinghouse to identify and report suspicious activity in the opioid distribution system.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The Office of the Attorney General continues to pursue its separate claims against manufacturers Purdue Pharma, Mallinckrodt, Teva and Endo. Purdue Pharma and Mallinckrodt are in bankruptcy
court. Both are expected to emerge from bankruptcy in the coming months and provide additional dollars for opioid abatement in Idaho. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"># # #</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">Marissa Morrison, Press Secretary</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">,
Office of the Governor</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">208-943-1686 or </span></span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></span></a></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Scott Graf, Public Information Officer</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Office of Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">208-334-4112 or
</span><a href="mailto:scott.graf@ag.idaho.gov"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">scott.graf@ag.idaho.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">--</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001jPcDrZTUF2iffZAaFR5CaCO9D9OTNmcIrS9m2JnRBQLxSmCCDvAfzkhQC6WRNcW4O6931CUyPvAzTSP21AiJ4rioUvabaHbWJxzuwF2hEYM%3D#_blank"><span class="normaltextrun"><i><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Sign
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