{"id":144806,"date":"2021-08-14T01:10:24","date_gmt":"2021-08-14T06:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=144806"},"modified":"2021-08-14T01:10:27","modified_gmt":"2021-08-14T06:10:27","slug":"a-g-wants-settlement-holdouts-on-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2021\/08\/14\/a-g-wants-settlement-holdouts-on-board\/","title":{"rendered":"A-G wants settlement holdouts on board"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Independent staff and submitted information<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

COLUMBUS — With 86 percent of the state\u2019s litigating political subdivisions having joined the OneOhio Opioid Settlement agreement, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is strongly urging the holdouts to avoid playing politics and get onboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dave Yost<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery politician in the state needs to do the right thing,\u201d Yost said during a morning press conference. \u201cThis is not a time for gamesmanship or politics. This is we<\/em> time, not me<\/em> time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agreement with the three largest distributors of opioids — Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen — was announced last month by Yost. To seal the deal, the state must have the support of local governments representing at least 95 percent of its population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of Friday morning, AG Yost said, 86 percent —\u00a0114 of the 145 litigating political subdivisions<\/a>\u00a0— have joined the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not enough,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need everyone onboard for there to be a deal. The distributors could still walk away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yost said the OneOhio settlement money — Ohio stands to reap $808 million from the three distributors alone — represents the best opportunity for the many communities hit hard by the opioid crisis to begin to recover from the devastation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to put these resources to work in our local communities for treatment, prevention and education,\u201d he said. \u201cWe desperately need this money on the ground combatting the opioid epidemic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Ohio has been a steadfast leader in the opioid fight and was among the very first states to sue the distributors and manufacturers over their wanton and reckless pushing of these dangerous drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state developed the OneOhio plan to ensure that any money from a negotiated settlement or court verdict gets fairly spread out to the communities that need it \u2014 but communities must agree to take part before they can be included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the OneOhio plan, the settlement money would be distributed locally, with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n