New Mexico to receive $40 million in opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma, Sackler family
New Mexico will receive more than $40 million as part of a nationwide opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family.
Deal follows years of litigation over role in opioid crisis; funds will support treatment, prevention and recovery
Org
ALBUQUERQUE - New Mexico will receive more than $40 million as part of a nationwide settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family over their role in the opioid crisis, Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced Friday.
The state’s share totals $40,152,910 and is part of a broader $7.4 billion agreement reached by attorneys general across the country after years of litigation tied to Purdue’s manufacturing and marketing of opioid drugs.
“For too long, opioids have torn apart New Mexico families and devastated our communities,” Torrez said in a statement. “By holding those responsible accountable and directing real resources toward treatment, prevention and recovery, we’re giving working families a chance to stay whole and helping our communities build a safer, healthier future.”
The settlement resolves claims that Purdue and its owners, the Sackler family, aggressively marketed opioids and contributed to what officials describe as the nation’s largest drug crisis.
Under the agreement, the Sackler family is permanently barred from selling opioids in the United States. The deal also requires the release of more than 30 million documents related to Purdue’s opioid business.
Most of the settlement funds will be distributed over the next several years, with a significant portion expected within the first three years. Payments include more than $1.5 billion from the Sacklers this year, with additional installments scheduled through 2029. Purdue is also contributing about $900 million upfront.
The agreement follows Purdue’s 2019 bankruptcy filing and subsequent legal challenges, including a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision that blocked an earlier version of the settlement.
In New Mexico, 45% of the funds will go to the state Legislature’s Opioid Fund, with the remainder distributed to local governments.
The settlement also transfers Purdue’s manufacturing operations to a new company, Knoa Pharma LLC, which will operate under independent oversight and will be prohibited from marketing opioids.
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