Kroger, the parent company of Ralphs, agreed to pay up to $122 to California to resolve allegations that the company failed to adequately monitor the opioids distributed by its pharmacies.
“At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to holding entities like Kroger accountable for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today’s announcement builds on our commitment in our ongoing fight for justice and relief.”
Jason Armond
Bonta’s office said the supermarket giant will start paying off the $122 million early next year. The California Department of Justice added that it is part of a larger $1.47 billion payout to the supermarket giant to address its role in the opioid crisis. Bonta promised that the recent settlement will help California and eligible municipalities pay for “comprehensive treatment and recovery programs,” along with other resources.
The settlement also requires Kroger to monitor, report and share data on suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions at its pharmacies.
The state DOJ said the attorney general has raised about $50 billion, earmarked for opioid response funding, from settlements and bankruptcies nationwide. California could receive about $4.2 billion of the settlement money.
The country’s opioid crisis has been largely caused by the introduction of fentanyl into the illicit drug market. According to the California Department of Public Health, fentanyl is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. The powerful opioid has worsened the country’s drug crisis because fentanyl is often mixed with other illegal drugs, making them cheaper, stronger and more addictive. Public health recorded 5,722 fentanyl-related deaths in 2021, compared to 429 confirmed deaths in 2017.
Nationwide, 107,375 Americans died from overdoses and drug poisonings in the 12-month period ending in January 2022. Of the more than 100,000 deaths, 67% involved synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
