Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced on Thursday, December 22, 2022, that the State of Missouri has received the first of two payouts from the National Opioid Settlement that the Missouri Attorney General’s Office coordinated and finalized earlier this year. The payments, totaling $35 million are the first collected from the settlement and will be directed towards aiding victims and funding treatment and abatement programs.

In July of 2021, Schmitt announced the preliminary settlement in the litigation against Johnson and Johnson and major opioid distributors.

In working with litigating and non-litigating cities and counties, the Office of Attorney General has unlocked the full amount of the settlement to ensure victims of opioid abuse and their families get the resources they desperately need.

While other states opted to use outside counsel to litigate the cases, Missouri handled the cases internally, ensuring that all of the money designated for the State of Missouri through the settlements goes directly to opioid abatement and treatment.

The Johnson and Johnson and distributors’ settlements brings an estimated $458 million, with roughly $274.8 million going to the State of Missouri and $183.2 million going to localities.

The settlements will be payed out over an 18 year period.