Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 30 state attorneys general, completed a $1.37 billion settlement with Kroger over the supermarket giant’s role in the opioid crisis.
Colorado will receive nearly $70 million for opioid abatement starting early next year, according to a statement from AG Weiser’s office. Kroger, the largest grocer in Colorado, owns King Soopers and City Market.
“Our work addressing the opioid crisis remains a top priority,” Weiser said in the statement. “A core part of that work is holding accountable entities like Kroger that fail to act to protect Coloradans and bringing back funds to Colorado. With the funds coming from this settlement, we will be able to save lives.”
As part of the settlement, Kroger has agreed to require its pharmacies to monitor, report and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions.
Kroger isn’t the only company paying up in Colorado. To date, Colorado is on track to receive more than $790 million in legal settlements with drug manufacturers and others for their roles in fueling the opioid crisis.
