Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson—who is currently running for governor—discussed work his office has done to address the state’s opioid epidemic at the 2024 Washington State of Reform Health Policy Conference on Jan. 4th.
“I am confident I don’t have to tell anyone in this room of the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic and the fentanyl crisis. Opioid overdose rates are increasing all across the state. What’s key is the desperate need for more resources to help individuals. And that we’re woefully underfunded, in that regard, for the many needs we have for the folks who are struggling.”
— Ferguson
According to the Department of Health, 25 of Washington’s 39 counties don’t have an opioid treatment program within their borders. And only about half of Washington’s jails—which have a high rate of individuals with opioid use disorders—reported starting or continuing medications prescribed to treat substance use disorder, Ferguson said.
“Those give you a sense of the scale of the problem. The problem is getting bigger, and our programs to tackle it are desperate for resources.”
— Ferguson
Ferguson’s office has finalized litigation against several opioid companies for their roles in the epidemic, which has secured more than $1.1 billion for the state over the next 15 years.
“We’ve been very active in taking on some of the largest corporations in the world. These are literally Fortune 15 companies, in some cases. In our view, these companies violated the law in pursuit of profits, and fueled the opioid epidemic. I find the conduct of those corporations to be shocking, of what they were willing to do in pursuit of profits and the harm that was caused.”
— Ferguson
Half of the lawsuit money will go to the state, while the other half will go to local governments, in order to abate the opioid epidemic, Ferguson said. King County will receive more than $56 million over the life of the settlements. Spokane County will receive more than $19 million, while Clark County will get more than $14 million, he said.
Watch Ferguson’s full keynote above!