Last February, Attorney General Russell Coleman's office filed a lawsuit against Kroger, alleging the company and its more than 100 pharmacies in Kentucky were responsible for pumping what equated to 444 million doses of opioids into the state between 2006 and 2019.
“That's more than 100 opioid doses for every man, every woman, and every one of our kids in Kentucky,” Coleman said. “It amounts to 11% of all opioids distributed in the Commonwealth during that period.”
General Coleman said the suit was filed in part because Kroger had no oversight for filling opioid prescriptions.
“Most shockingly, there was no serious system in place, no internal serious system in place in Kroger to track or report suspicious activities. None. No training for staff. No guidelines to prevent abuse.”
The settlement will bring $110 million to the Commonwealth in support of efforts to combat the opioid crisis. General Coleman said the funds pivot Kroger from "being part of the problem, to part of the solution."
Half of the funds will be transferred directly to cities and counties according to a pre-determined formula for their own recovery programs. The other half will be entrusted to the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.
