COVINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 9, 2025) –Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced a settlement with The Kroger Company (KR) today that will bring $110 million to the Commonwealth in support of efforts to combat the opioid crisis. General Coleman announced the agreement at Life Learning Center in Covington.
“For over a decade, Kroger tragically fed the flames of the drug addiction fire that rages across every county of our Commonwealth. But this devastation isn’t the end of the story: Kentucky is resilient, and we get back up, no matter how many times we are knocked down,” said Attorney General Coleman. “Today, with $110 million invested in recovery efforts in Kentucky, Kroger has agreed to be part of the solution.”
Watch the press conference here.
Read the Attorney General’s remarks here.
In February of 2024, Attorney General Coleman directed that a lawsuit against Kroger be filed in Bullitt County Circuit Court (Shepherdsville, Ky.), alleging the company was responsible for pumping what equated to 444 million doses of opioids into Kentucky over a 13-year period with no internal monitoring system to report suspected abuse. Between 2006-2019, Kroger and its more than 100 pharmacies in the Commonwealth were responsible for over 11% of all opioid pills dispensed in Kentucky.
The event was hosted by President and CEO of Life Learning Center Alecia Webb-Edgington. “I remain deeply impressed by the Attorney General and his team’s commitment to bringing justice to the community, and I support all efforts that empower individuals to build a better future for themselves and their families,” said Webb-Edgington.
General Coleman recognized Deputy Attorney General Rob Duncan, Civil Chief Justin Clark and Division Chief for Consumer and Senior Protection Chris Lewis for ably representing the Commonwealth in the matter.
“These settlement dollars will have a massive impact on Kentucky. I want to recognize the people who are the driving force behind bringing them here. Thank you for the late nights away from your families, long weekends and many months you’ve dedicated to this case. Our Commonwealth could not have asked for better representation,” General Coleman added. “These are three people who are from areas of our Commonwealth particularly hard hit by the drug crisis; they care deeply about the issue and those affected.”
According to the arrangement created in Kentucky law by the General Assembly, half of the settlement funds will be distributed among the Commonwealth’s cities and counties according to a pre-determined formula. The other half will be entrusted to the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, led by Executive Director Chris Evans.
Read the settlement here.
Last November, General Coleman and the Commission announced that applications are open for another round of grant funding. Interested organizations have until January 17, 2025 to apply for grants in two categories: Prevention and Treatment/Recovery Support. To apply for the grants please visit: https://kyjusticeigx.intelligrants.com/IGXLogin.