Friday is the deadline for Ohio communities suing drugmakers and distributors to decide to continue with their lawsuits or join the state’s effort to reach what’s likely to be a massive settlement over the opioid crisis.
Attorney General Dave Yost says there are several communities that haven’t yet had a chance to meet and discuss the One Ohio proposal, which he says would find its strength in numbers.
“Critical mass is going to be determined by the defendants. Do they want to come to the table to talk to Ohio? I would say today we don’t have enough to get them to the table for an Ohio discussion.”
Yost says he wants to move that deadline to give more communities a chance to sign on. Any settlement could be over a billion dollars. The One Ohio deal would give Yost’s office 15% of any settlement, and 30% would go to communities. A nonprofit foundation would manage the remaining 55%.
