opioid lawsuit

Public records show most Kentucky cities and counties fell short of state rules that they regularly report on their payouts from the national opioid settlements.

The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission voted last week to adopt a new set of principles to guide the group’s decision-making process when it comes to doling out the state’s portion of settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors.

More than a year after localities across Kentucky began receiving shares of the state’s opioid settlement funding, several local leaders in far western Kentucky are still figuring out how best they can use those funds to tackle the opioid epidemic.

This is part of a broader pattern of settlements after state and local governments sued pharmaceutical businesses for making the United States’ addiction crisis worse.

Now they have to decide how to use it

People can apply for funding from Ky.’s portion of a multi-state settlement with four drug companies accused of fueling the opioid epidemic.

The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Commission will soon open the process to distribute part of the state’s roughly $480 million opioid settlement.

During its latest meeting, the commission announced they want to have an online website for applications up and running by October 15.

Kentucky's payments will be split between local and state governments, and used in part to help fund addiction treatment resources.

Chief executives of a handful of pharmaceutical and drug distribution companies are negotiating with government attorneys to see if they can reach a…