Opioid Settlements: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

LastWeekTonight
16 May 202425:08

Summary

TLDRThe video script addresses the ongoing opioid crisis and the controversial allocation of settlement funds from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies. It highlights the fourth wave of the crisis, characterized by overdose deaths involving fentanyl mixed with stimulants. The script criticizes the lack of transparency and accountability in how states and local governments are spending the $50 billion settlement, with some funds being used for unrelated expenses like infrastructure and law enforcement equipment. It contrasts this with the successful use of funds in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery programs. The speaker calls for better oversight, transparency, and the allocation of funds to evidence-based solutions, urging viewers to advocate for responsible spending of the settlement money.

Takeaways

  • 💊 The opioid crisis is still ongoing and has evolved into a fourth wave, characterized by overdose deaths involving fentanyl plus a stimulant like cocaine or meth.
  • 💸 Major pharmaceutical companies have agreed to pay over $50 billion over 18 years to settle lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic, but this is a one-time settlement releasing them from future claims.
  • 🤔 There is concern that the settlement amounts are too small compared to the damage caused, estimated at $1 trillion in 2015 alone, and that the funds are not directly benefiting the victims or their families.
  • 📉 The money from settlements is often used to fill budget gaps rather than specifically addressing the opioid crisis, similar to what happened with the tobacco industry settlements in the 1990s.
  • 🚨 There is a lack of transparency in how the settlement funds are spent, with some states not reporting any spending publicly, and others only partially disclosing their expenditures.
  • 🚨 Some local governments are spending settlement money on law enforcement equipment and personnel, which goes against recommendations from public health advocates.
  • 🛠️ There are more effective ways to spend the settlement money, such as hiring more counselors, increasing access to medication-assisted treatment, and funding interventions to prevent overdoses.
  • 🏛️ State governments can play a role in guiding how the funds are spent by setting clear rules on allowable expenses and ensuring transparency in spending.
  • 👀 Individuals and communities affected by the opioid crisis should be involved in decision-making processes regarding the allocation of settlement funds.
  • 🚫 There is a call for the public to be vigilant and advocate against inappropriate spending of the settlement funds, such as on police equipment or unrelated infrastructure.
  • ⏳ With the settlements just beginning to be paid out, there is still time to influence how the funds are used to ensure they have the most significant positive impact on addressing the opioid crisis.

Q & A

  • What is the current state of the opioid crisis in the United States?

    -The opioid crisis is still ongoing and is currently referred to as being in its fourth wave. This wave is characterized by overdose deaths involving a combination of fentanyl and a stimulant like cocaine or methamphetamine.

  • What was the initial plan proposed by President Trump to prevent drug addiction and overdoses?

    -President Trump proposed that the best way to prevent drug addiction and overdoses is to prevent people from abusing drugs in the first place. He suggested talking to youth and telling them that drugs are bad for them in every way.

  • What are the four waves of the opioid crisis?

    -The first wave began with increased prescribing of opioids in the 1990s. The second wave started in 2010 with a rise in heroin use. The third wave around 2013 involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The fourth wave is characterized by overdose deaths involving fentanyl plus a stimulant.

  • Which companies have been implicated in the opioid crisis and what settlements have they agreed to?

    -Companies like Walmart, Johnson and Johnson, and three major drug distributors have been implicated. They have agreed to pay out more than $50 billion over 18 years to state and local governments as part of their settlements.

  • What are some of the concerns about the opioid settlement money?

    -Concerns include the fact that the dollar amounts are too small compared to the damage caused by the crisis, and that almost none of the money is going directly to individuals or families affected. Instead, it is going to governments, with the intention of mitigating the damage caused by opioids.

  • What are some of the ways that the settlement money should ideally be spent?

    -Ideally, the settlement money should be spent on prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery initiatives. This could include hiring more counselors, increasing access to medication-assisted treatment, funding interventions for those at risk of overdose, and providing adequate housing.

  • What are some of the issues with the current spending of the opioid settlement money?

    -There are issues with transparency and appropriate allocation of funds. Some states and local governments are not reporting how they spend the money, and there are instances of funds being used for purposes not directly related to the opioid crisis, such as general budget shortfalls or law enforcement equipment.

  • Why is it concerning when opioid settlement money is spent on law enforcement?

    -Spending opioid settlement money on law enforcement is concerning because it does not address the root causes of the crisis or provide help to those suffering from addiction. It also goes against recommendations from public health advocates who advise against using the funds for law enforcement purposes.

  • What is the role of states in ensuring that the settlement money is spent appropriately?

    -States have the responsibility to set guidelines on what counts as an allowable expense and to ensure that the spending is transparent and targeted towards addressing the opioid crisis effectively. They can also decide to be more transparent about their spending and provide public reporting on how the funds are used.

  • What can individuals do to influence how the settlement money is spent in their local areas?

    -Individuals can attend local government meetings, ask questions, and advocate for spending on proven harm reduction and treatment programs. They can also raise awareness about the importance of using the funds for prevention and recovery initiatives rather than other purposes.

  • What are some examples of inappropriate spending of the opioid settlement money mentioned in the script?

    -Examples include using funds to pay for police overtime, purchasing new police vehicles, and investing in high-tech law enforcement equipment like the TRUEAR drug analyzer and BOLOCORD restraints, which do not directly contribute to addressing the opioid crisis.

Outlines

00:00

💊 Opioid Crisis and Settlements: A Deep Dive

The first paragraph discusses the ongoing opioid crisis, touching on its evolution through four distinct waves starting from increased opioid prescriptions in the '90s to the current wave involving stimulants like cocaine or meth. It highlights the efforts to combat the crisis and the recent financial settlements from companies involved in the first wave, such as Walmart and Johnson & Johnson, amounting to over $50 billion. The paragraph also addresses criticisms of these settlements, including the perceived insufficiency of the monetary compensation and the lack of direct aid to affected individuals.

05:01

📉 The Tobacco Precedent and Its Lessons

The second paragraph draws a comparison between the opioid crisis settlements and the tobacco industry settlements in the 1990s, which totaled an estimated $246 billion. It criticizes the lack of binding requirements on how the tobacco settlement funds should be spent, leading to states using the money for general funds rather than public health initiatives. The paragraph serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the need for transparency and proper allocation of funds in the opioid crisis settlements.

10:02

🏛️ Government Spending and the Call for Transparency

The third paragraph addresses the issue of transparency and accountability in how government entities are spending the opioid settlement funds. It mentions the broad definitions and weak rules that allow for varied interpretations of acceptable spending, with only a portion of states committing to public reporting of their spending. The paragraph also highlights instances where funds have been spent inappropriately, such as on general infrastructure or law enforcement, contrary to the intended use for opioid remediation.

15:04

🚨 Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction

The fourth paragraph discusses the concerning trend of allocating opioid settlement funds to law enforcement and police equipment, despite evidence suggesting that this approach does not effectively address drug use or addiction. It details specific items, such as the BOWLER wrap device and the TRUEAR drug analyzer, that have been procured using settlement funds, and criticizes this misuse of resources that could be better spent on prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives.

20:04

🤔 The Way Forward: Advocacy and Responsibility

The fifth and final paragraph emphasizes the importance of advocacy and responsible decision-making in the allocation of opioid settlement funds. It suggests that states have the power to decide on allowable expenses and commends those that have set a good example by being transparent about their spending. The paragraph calls on communities to get involved, ask questions, and push for the funds to be used for proven, impactful solutions, rather than wasteful or inappropriate expenditures.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis refers to the widespread misuse of and addiction to opioids, a class of drugs that includes prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. The video discusses the ongoing nature of this crisis, which has evolved through various 'waves' over the years, causing significant public health and safety concerns. It is central to the video's theme as it explores the impact, efforts to combat it, and the allocation of settlement funds related to it.

💡Settlement Funds

Settlement funds are monetary payments made by companies as part of a legal settlement, often without admitting guilt, to resolve lawsuits. In the context of the video, these funds are derived from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies and distributors implicated in the opioid crisis. The use and allocation of these funds is a major focus of the video, with concerns raised about transparency, appropriate spending, and the potential for misuse.

💡Prevention and Treatment

Prevention and treatment are strategies aimed at stopping the onset of addiction or aiding those who are already struggling with substance abuse. The video emphasizes the importance of investing settlement funds into evidence-based prevention and treatment programs. It discusses the need for more counselors, medication-assisted treatment, and harm reduction measures as part of a comprehensive approach to addressing the opioid crisis.

💡Transparency

Transparency in this context refers to the openness and clarity with which governments and local authorities report how they are spending the settlement funds related to the opioid crisis. The video criticizes the lack of transparency in some states and calls for better public reporting and accountability to ensure that funds are used effectively to combat the crisis.

💡Harm Reduction

Harm reduction is a public health strategy that aims to minimize the negative consequences of drug use for individuals and communities. The video mentions harm reduction in the context of providing services such as needle exchange programs, fentanyl testing strips, and the distribution of naloxone, a medication used to block the effects of opioids in an overdose situation. It is portrayed as a crucial element in the fight against the opioid crisis.

💡Law Enforcement

Law enforcement in the video is criticized for its role in receiving settlement funds that some argue should be directed towards public health initiatives instead. The video discusses concerns that funds are being used to purchase police equipment and overtime, which may not be the most effective way to address the opioid crisis, especially when compared to public health interventions.

💡Stigma

Stigma refers to the negative attitudes and discrimination associated with drug users, which can prevent them from accessing necessary services and support. The video touches on the stigma faced by individuals with addiction and how it can create barriers to funding for organizations that provide harm reduction and support services, thereby exacerbating the challenges faced by those affected by the opioid crisis.

💡Accountability

Accountability is the obligation of governments and institutions to report on their actions and decisions, especially regarding the use of funds. The video stresses the importance of holding authorities accountable for how they allocate and spend settlement funds, ensuring that the money is directed towards effective and appropriate measures to mitigate the opioid crisis.

💡Public Health Advocates

Public health advocates are individuals or groups that promote policies and practices aimed at improving public health. In the video, they are depicted as pushing for the settlement funds to be used for proven public health interventions rather than for law enforcement or other less effective uses. They play a critical role in advocating for evidence-based approaches to the opioid crisis.

💡Litigation

Litigation refers to the process of taking legal action, particularly in a court of law. The video discusses the complex litigation surrounding the opioid crisis, involving thousands of lawsuits filed by various government entities against pharmaceutical companies. The outcome of this litigation has led to the settlements that are a central point of discussion in the video.

💡Overdose

An overdose occurs when a person consumes a sufficient amount of a substance to cause severe negative health effects or death. The video mentions overdose in the context of the dangers posed by synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which are often mixed with other drugs without the user's knowledge. Overdose prevention and response are key components in addressing the opioid crisis, with the video highlighting the importance of naloxone distribution and other harm reduction strategies.

Highlights

The opioid crisis is still raging with varying efforts to combat it, including a controversial plan from former President Trump.

The crisis is currently in its fourth wave, characterized by overdose deaths involving fentanyl plus a stimulant.

Drug manufacturers and other players in the supply chain are being held accountable with settlements totaling over $50 billion.

Settlements with companies like Walmart and Johnson & Johnson are aimed at mitigating the damage caused by opioids.

Critics argue that the settlement amounts are too small, given the estimated $1.5 trillion in damage caused by the opioid crisis in 2015 alone.

There is concern that most of the settlement money is not going to individuals or families affected but to governments.

The settlements have resulted in the most complicated litigation in history, involving the consolidation of thousands of lawsuits.

Some states have been criticized for using settlement funds for general budgetary needs rather than addressing the opioid crisis.

Experts recommend that the settlement money should be spent on prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery initiatives.

There is a lack of transparency in how some states and local governments are spending the settlement funds.

Some local governments have been approached by companies selling products like drug disposal pouches, which may not be the most effective use of settlement funds.

Public health advocates have warned against using settlement money for law enforcement, as it does not address the root causes of the opioid crisis.

Despite warnings, some jurisdictions are allocating settlement funds to law enforcement, including for equipment and vehicles.

States like California are setting a precedent by specifying what cannot be purchased with settlement funds, including certain law enforcement equipment.

Transparency and good decision-making are crucial to ensure that settlement funds are used effectively to combat the opioid crisis.

Community involvement and advocacy are important for ensuring that settlement funds are spent on proven, impactful initiatives.

The current process of allocating settlement funds provides an opportunity for change and improvement in how resources are used to address the opioid crisis.

Transcripts

00:04

our main story tonight concerns the

00:06

opioid crisis if you take out one eye

00:08

it's actually an anagram for Rich idiot

00:10

posy which should make a pretty good

00:12

sweatshirt at the next sacka family

00:14

reunion the opioid crisis is still

00:16

raging despite varying efforts to combat

00:18

it over the years including This

00:20

brilliant plan from then president Trump

00:23

the best way to prevent drug addiction

00:25

and overdoses to prevent people from

00:28

abusing drugs in in the first place if

00:31

they don't start they won't have a

00:33

problem if they do start it's awfully

00:35

tough to get off so we can keep them

00:38

from going on and maybe by talking to

00:41

Youth and telling them no good really

00:44

bad for you in every way but if they

00:47

don't

00:47

start it will never be a problem yeah

00:51

it's hard to believe that message didn't

00:53

land from Trump talking to youth with

00:56

the words no good really bad for you in

00:58

every way to milania staring ically into

01:01

the distance as she Burns another day

01:03

waiting patiently for coronary artery

01:05

disease to do its job the point

01:09

is the opioid crisis is nowhere near

01:12

over in fact we're currently what's

01:13

being referred to as the fourth wave of

01:15

it the first wave uh began with

01:17

increased prescribing of opioids in the

01:19

'90s the second began in 2010 with

01:21

Heroin followed by a third wave around

01:24

2013 involving synthetic opioids like

01:26

Fentanyl and this fourth wave is

01:28

characterized by overdose deaths

01:29

involving fenal plus a stimulant like

01:32

cocaine or meth which can sometimes be

01:34

spiked without the user's knowledge in

01:36

fact most of these street drug Supply is

01:38

apparently now adulterated that is how

01:41

pervasive this problem is but to the

01:42

extent that there is any good news here

01:44

is that the companies most implicated in

01:47

that first wave drug makers and other

01:49

players in the supply chain that pumped

01:50

pills into communities have finally been

01:53

forced to pay a price for their actions

01:55

as you probably know if you've seen

01:56

stories like these Walmart has agreed to

01:58

pay $3.1 billion dollars to settle

02:01

lawsuits Nationwide over the impact of

02:03

prescriptions aty filled for opioid

02:05

painkillers two of the largest Pharmacy

02:07

chains will pay about 10 billion do in

02:09

prescription opioid lawsuit settlements

02:12

four us corporations will pay a combined

02:14

$26 billion to settle claims over their

02:17

role in the opioid epidemic Johnson and

02:20

Johnson and three major drug

02:21

Distributors agreed to the settlement

02:23

while insisting it was not an admission

02:26

of guilt oh it wasn't an admission of

02:28

guilt was it that makes sense 26 billion

02:31

is exactly how much you pay when you're

02:32

not guilty of anything who Among Us

02:35

hasn't surrendered the entire GDP of

02:37

Iceland just cause when you put all

02:40

those settlements together collectively

02:42

these companies have agreed to pay out

02:43

more than $50 billion over 18 years to

02:47

State and local governments and getting

02:48

to this point wasn't easy it involved

02:51

consolidating thousands of lawsuits

02:52

filed by various government entities and

02:54

has been called the most complicated

02:56

litigation in the history of complex

02:58

litigation and I think this goes without

03:00

saying but boner alert that is a bat

03:04

signal for this show something so boring

03:06

it's genuinely kind of hot and people

03:09

have understandable complaints about

03:11

these settlements first that the dollar

03:13

amounts are too small which they

03:14

absolutely are putting aside the loss of

03:17

hundreds of thousands of lives over the

03:19

years the opioid crisis didn't estimated

03:21

1 A5 trillion dollars in damage in 20120

03:24

alone and second almost none of the

03:27

money is going to the individuals or

03:29

fam's heart instead it's going to

03:31

governments theoretically to be used to

03:33

mitigate the damage that opioids are

03:35

doing and there are Back stories behind

03:37

both of those decisions including that

03:38

for a bunch of complicated legal reasons

03:41

governments tend to get better outcomes

03:42

in lawsuits like these than individuals

03:45

and that the most appropriate punishment

03:46

for these companies throwing them into

03:48

the sun is sadly currently

03:51

unavailable to us though I am working on

03:53

a design for a catapult and I'm

03:55

tantalizingly close and know I I could

03:57

talk more about all of that but the

03:59

truth is those decisions have now been

04:01

made they're in the past and for this

04:03

story I'd like to do something slightly

04:05

different which is to mainly talk about

04:07

the future and the decisions that

04:09

haven't been made yet because while 50

04:11

billion is clearly not enough to undo

04:13

the damage here it's also not nothing

04:16

it's double NASA's budget and five times

04:18

the revenue of an NBA season and you

04:20

should know this is also the bulk of the

04:22

money governments are likely to get out

04:24

of these companies because under the

04:26

terms of their settlements they're being

04:27

released from future claims so when it

04:30

comes to restitution this is basically

04:32

all the blood money we're getting making

04:34

it feel especially important that we

04:36

spend it well but there have already

04:39

been troubling signs that at least in

04:40

some places the decision process on how

04:42

to do so can be deeply flawed which is

04:45

particularly frustrating for those

04:47

who've lost loved ones to this crisis

04:49

like this woman a dozen New York parents

04:52

descended on Albany this week to

04:54

complain the governor's budget is not

04:55

being open about where the money is

04:58

going one Long Island mom Ventura

05:00

carried her son's ashes in a tupperware

05:02

container I will remain a pain in in New

05:05

York state because no one should join

05:08

the club that these parents are here for

05:11

that is a brave thing for that woman to

05:13

do and a powerful message for her to

05:15

send my name is Linda I'm going to be a

05:17

pain in the ass for you and in case you

05:19

sons of forgot why we're here I

05:21

brought along a tupperware of my son and

05:23

I know that that sounds worrying but the

05:25

thing is because we're only 3 years in

05:28

to what will be 8 years worth of

05:30

payments there is still time for us to

05:32

correct course but that is why we need

05:35

to talk about this right now so tonight

05:38

let's look at the opioid settlement so

05:40

let's start with the fact that this

05:41

isn't the first time governments have

05:42

received a huge pile of money after

05:44

companies caused a Public Health crisis

05:46

back in the 1990s there was eight

05:48

similar wave of lawsuits against big

05:49

tobacco that ended with a settlement of

05:51

an estimated 246 billion and at the time

05:55

everyone took a Victory lap finally we

05:57

are going to begin to hold the tobacco

06:00

industry accountable for decades of

06:03

marketing their products and selling

06:06

their products to our kids the states

06:08

will receive the largest financial

06:09

recovery in history we've arrived at our

06:12

final destination and that's the

06:14

destination of tobacco Justice ooh

06:18

tobacco Justice and look it did sound

06:20

great not only were tobacco companies

06:22

paying a huge amount of money the

06:23

settlement also imposed restrictions on

06:25

cigarette advertising including Banning

06:28

cartoon characters like Joe Camel

06:30

although personally I never found a sexy

06:32

camel that persuasive it seemed

06:34

ridiculous to me to think that oh my God

06:36

how the did you just do

06:38

that but interestingly that settlement

06:41

is now seen as a prime example of what

06:43

not to do because at the time the

06:46

expectation was that a significant

06:47

portion of the funding would be set

06:49

aside to reduce tobacco use but there

06:52

were no binding requirements on how the

06:54

money should be spent so in practice

06:56

Most states just used it as a slush fund

06:58

to cover budget shortfalls subsidize tax

07:00

cuts and support General government

07:02

services in fact within just a few years

07:04

stories like this were starting to hit

07:06

the news here in North Carolina the

07:08

nation's number one tobacco producer not

07:11

a penny of the state's $4.6 billion

07:14

share has been spent on anti-smoking

07:16

programs so where's the money going

07:20

$200,000 to improve this horse Park

07:23

$15,000 for this tobacco Museum to help

07:26

produce a tobacco history video and 400

07:29

,000 toward the engineering of this

07:31

plant that will one day process

07:34

tobacco yeah that's not great and look I

07:37

realized that spending other people's

07:39

money in a dumb way could well be my

07:41

exact job description but even I know

07:44

building a tobacco processing plant with

07:46

tobacco settlement money is a very bad

07:49

idea and that's not the only cautionary

07:51

tale there's actually another example

07:53

from early in this current wave of

07:55

opioid settlement specifically the one

07:56

between state governments and McKenzie

07:58

in New York State once that money

08:00

started rolling in some Public Health

08:02

Advocates were shocked at where most of

08:04

it seemed to be going $21 million went

08:07

into New York State's general fund to

08:09

build Bridges and tunnels and to fill

08:12

budget caps and that's absolutely

08:13

inexcusable I will be damned if I see a

08:16

dollar go to fixing a pothole do we need

08:19

potholes fixed absolutely that's not

08:22

what this money is about yeah he's right

08:24

he's also perhaps the most New York guy

08:27

to ever exist a man name Anthony rosuto

08:30

ranting about potholes on behalf of an

08:32

organization called fist a man like that

08:36

isn't born someone in masipa rubbed a

08:38

meatball palm and he appeared in a puff

08:41

of smoke like a genie now carefully this

08:45

current 50 billion in settlement money

08:47

has rules on how it can be spent

08:49

unfortunately they're both very

08:51

complicated and not nearly strong enough

08:53

for instance most of the settlement

08:55

agreements say that at least 85% of the

08:57

money has to be used for opioid

08:59

remediation which sounds good but that

09:02

term is broadly defined and while they

09:05

include a long list of what could fit

09:06

into that category they also note that

09:08

the list is non-exhaustive meaning

09:10

governments could attempt to justify

09:11

almost any purchase as for the remaining

09:14

15% that's a free for- all making it

09:17

basically a multi-billion dollar slush

09:19

fund but also as this legal expert who's

09:21

been closely tracking the settlements

09:22

points out there are worryingly few

09:24

rules requiring state or local

09:26

governments to report how they spend any

09:28

of the money public reporting of opioid

09:31

settlement expenditures is not required

09:33

by the settlement agreements themselves

09:35

so we're in um Wild Wild West territory

09:38

mini found only 16 States promised to

09:42

publicly report 100% of their opioid

09:44

settlement spending another 16 have not

09:47

agreed to report any spending publicly

09:50

at all and the rest only a portion of it

09:53

okay first shout out to the states

09:55

promising to report on how they spend

09:56

some of the money I'm not sure that much

09:59

better than not reporting it at all oh

10:01

don't worry we'll report on every dollar

10:03

that doesn't go into our mysterious

10:04

money hole and I should say a few more

10:07

states have since agreed to disclose at

10:09

least some of their spending so it's now

10:11

only these seven who are doing zero

10:14

public reporting but the point remains

10:15

there can be shockingly little

10:17

transparency about where this money is

10:19

going or in some cases not going because

10:22

despite the fact that we are 3 years in

10:24

some states haven't even started

10:25

spending for instance Iowa State

10:27

Legislature recently couldn't come to to

10:29

an agreement on how to spend its

10:30

settlement money and then simply

10:32

adjourned for the year leaving more than

10:34

25 million unspent until 2025 but that's

10:38

fine I guess it's not like this is a

10:39

life and death situation or anything

10:42

meanwhile other states seem to be

10:43

engaging in accounting tricks to get

10:45

around restrictions New York's Governor

10:47

Kathy hokel proposed cutting cutting the

10:50

budget of the state's office of

10:52

Addiction Services and supports by more

10:53

than 133% and it's believ that her plan

10:56

was to then replace that funding with

10:58

money from the P settlement but that's

11:00

not increasing Services is it it's just

11:03

moving the money around so you can use

11:05

it for whatever you like which is

11:06

infuriating it turns out it's a lot less

11:09

entertaining to watch someone try to

11:10

laund a millions in drug money when it's

11:12

not Brian Cranston who's doing

11:14

it and while so far I've mainly talked

11:17

about states it is worth knowing more

11:19

than half this money is actually going

11:21

to local governments it's actually being

11:23

divided up among cities and counties as

11:25

this local news report explains with

11:27

some top tier graphics

11:30

every single County in Michigan will get

11:32

some money but it really depends on how

11:34

much the smallest amount just

11:37

$173 in Union Charter Township the

11:39

biggest amount nearly 70 million in

11:42

Wayne County here in West Michigan Kent

11:44

County is getting more than $18 million

11:47

so how are they actually going to use

11:49

that money all of the experts I spoke

11:51

was said it needs to be poured into four

11:53

different buckets prevention harm

11:55

reduction treatment and Recovery okay I

11:58

know she's telling us that the money

11:59

should be going to things like harm

12:01

reduction and Recovery there but it kind

12:02

of feels like it's going to local news

12:05

Graphics departments because that is

12:08

excellent but she is right that experts

12:10

generally agree that there are good ways

12:12

to spend this money for instance we

12:13

could hire and train more counselors and

12:15

peer Specialists to work with those

12:17

struggling with addiction we could also

12:19

increase access to medication assisted

12:21

treatment using drugs like methadone

12:23

berer andorine and nxone we could also

12:26

better fund interventions for those

12:27

continuing to use drugs from overdose

12:29

prevention centers which we've discussed

12:31

before on this show to Distributing the

12:33

lock Zone detecting fentanyl through

12:35

testing strips providing sterile

12:37

syringes and connecting people to

12:39

adequate housing all of that is a great

12:41

use of settlement money but it's

12:44

sometimes been hard for Advocates to get

12:45

that message across given local leaders

12:47

often simply don't have the experience

12:49

with addiction or health policy to guide

12:52

them in using the money well and that

12:53

can be understandably very frustrating

12:56

for those with personal experience of

12:57

this crisis people who use drugs are not

13:00

being included at all Trish Perry is a

13:02

county coordinator for Ohio can a

13:05

nonprofit started by family members of

13:08

individuals battling addiction every

13:11

Saturday they hand out food clothing and

13:13

the overdose reversal drug Narcan in

13:16

Newark Ohio vental testing strips but

13:20

Perry says her organization has so far

13:22

encountered stigma and hurdles when

13:24

applying for funding from opioid

13:26

settlement money that's earmarked for

13:28

local government

13:29

if you don't Supply people with clean

13:31

use supplies and fentol testing strips

13:34

they die and if they die they never get

13:36

to be a productive citizen in the in the

13:39

community that seems like a pretty good

13:41

use of settlement money honestly all

13:43

other options tend to pale in comparison

13:45

to if people don't get the stuff I'm

13:47

handing out right now they'll

13:49

die and when you see that the idea of

13:52

using this money to fill potholes starts

13:54

to sound like second deegree murder as

13:56

This Magnificent New York stereotype

13:58

will undoubtedly tell you and I will say

14:01

there are places that are spending this

14:02

money wisely on prevention harm

14:05

reduction and the other things written

14:06

on those CGI buckets but places without

14:09

the expertise or good guidance can

14:11

become easy targets for companies

14:13

looking to take this sudden surge of

14:15

money off their hands companies that

14:17

make pill disposal products safe pill

14:20

storage or even products for law

14:21

enforcement like speed ray guns are

14:24

pushing municipalities to use their

14:25

settlement funds for their products and

14:28

even have tab on their websites to track

14:30

your State's settlement money that's

14:32

true salesmen are going to small towns

14:34

trying to convince them that they're

14:35

selling the cure for the opioid crisis

14:38

it's like an insanely dark remake of the

14:40

music man there's trouble folks right

14:42

here in River City trouble with a

14:43

capital T and the rhymes with p and that

14:45

stands for

14:46

painkillers thousands are dead one of

14:50

those products is detera drug disposal

14:53

pouches which apparently contain

14:54

activated carbon and cost about $4 each

14:57

the way they work is customers has

14:59

placed their unused medications in a

15:00

detera pouch and add water deactivating

15:03

the drugs before tossing them ensuring

15:05

that they cannot be used even if fished

15:07

out of the trash now if you thinking

15:08

wait hold on it it's just essentially

15:10

then throwing away pills in water can't

15:13

you already do that with a toilet yes

15:16

you can this might be news to people but

15:18

unlike most drugs the FDA lists opioids

15:21

on its flush list for disposal which is

15:23

bad news for detera but another huge win

15:25

for the toilet the greatest invention in

15:29

human history thank you

15:32

toilet but but despite that tera's

15:35

manufacturer has promoted it heavily to

15:37

local governments even buying Google ads

15:39

to get their attention because when you

15:41

search for opioid settlement related

15:42

terms you can get served sponsored ads

15:45

for detera with headers like how to use

15:47

opioid settlements get the detera grant

15:50

guide and it seems to have worked as

15:52

it's one a bunch of contracts including

15:54

a million dooll order from the health

15:56

department in Delaware County

15:57

Pennsylvania which seems like a huge

16:00

waste of money assuming that that county

16:02

has toilets and if they don't have

16:05

toilets then find money to spend on that

16:07

stop in buckets in one of

16:10

these they're a real treat thank you

16:14

toilet but most upsettingly in many

16:17

places the money's going somewhere that

16:19

could do the exact opposite of reducing

16:21

harm the police and that is despite

16:24

explicit warnings against doing that

16:26

last year 130 Public Health Advocates

16:28

issued an an open letter to local

16:29

government saying no opioid settlement

16:32

money should be spent on law enforcement

16:33

Personnel overtime or equipment which

16:36

does make sense because if we learned

16:38

one thing from the War on Drugs is that

16:41

Nancy Reagan and Mr T produced The

16:43

Single strangest photo in the history of

16:44

cameras but if we learn two things is

16:47

the policing drug use does not make it

16:49

stop and yet in some places sending

16:52

opioid money to police is actually

16:54

mandatory Louisiana decided to allocate

16:56

20% of its funds directly to sheriffs

17:00

with no obligation for them to report

17:02

how they spend any of it and many

17:04

smaller municipalities are funing it to

17:06

law enforcement too Sullivan County New

17:08

York is using some of their settlement

17:09

funds to pay for police overtime oana

17:12

West Virginia is using some for a new

17:14

police cruiser bib County Alabama spent

17:17

over $120,000 on two new cheffy pickups

17:20

for the sheriff's office as well as new

17:21

lights Sirens radios and roadside

17:24

cameras and as for Brownwood Texas it

17:26

spent $155,000 of its settlement funds

17:29

to buy nine bowler wrap devices now a

17:32

bowler wrap is a restraint device which

17:34

fires a cord around a suspect and I

17:36

could describe it to you but instead

17:38

I'll show you a video that the company

17:39

made

17:54

[Music]

18:02

just like we do in the field

18:07

[Music]

18:10

one cool you know just a second ago I

18:13

thought Sirens were the least helpful

18:15

thing to spend opioid money on but then

18:17

I saw something that makes targets walk

18:19

slightly slower away from you still bow

18:23

wrap is another useful tool for cops to

18:25

add to their belt along with a bunch of

18:26

way more lethal tools that they'll

18:28

definitely reach for instead and it's

18:30

not just high-tech lassos we also found

18:32

multiple police departments pitching

18:34

local governments on something called

18:35

the truear drug analyzer arguing that it

18:38

will increase officer safety here is a

18:41

cop in kosha County Wisconsin doing

18:43

exactly that at a County finance

18:44

committee meeting so without having to

18:47

open a package of a suspected narcotic

18:51

we can shine this point this equipment

18:54

at that product and it will tell us what

18:57

the makeup was of whatever is inside it

19:00

so we've all seen the videos of the

19:02

staff all over the law enforcement all

19:04

over the country opening a bag which we

19:07

don't do anymore and uh breathing in

19:11

that substance and passing out was fun

19:16

that what's the word not passing

19:19

out

19:20

yeah going

19:22

unconsciousness from from an OD

19:26

okay for the 10 thousandth time it is

19:30

all but impossible for a cop to just

19:32

encounter fenel in the field and

19:34

overdose to quote one expert there has

19:36

never ever ever ever ever ever been a

19:39

confirmed case of that happening that is

19:41

two more never Evers than Taylor Swift

19:44

uses for getting back together so you

19:46

know they're not around but

19:49

again that argument worked he said we

19:52

need the magic drug flashlight and that

19:54

was good enough for the council to spend

19:56

$30,000 on it but honestly I do have

19:59

some sympathy for the people making

20:00

these decisions you can imagine town

20:02

councils full of members who feel

20:04

enormous responsibility to spend this

20:06

money well but don't know where to start

20:08

in that situation if a police official

20:10

shows up and says give it to us we know

20:12

what to do with it that's almost a

20:14

relief take Vienna West Virginia a city

20:17

in a state absolutely hammered by the

20:20

opioid crisis their Council was

20:21

approached by their police chief with a

20:23

request for $113,000 from their opioid

20:26

settlement fund to spend on a new police

20:28

dog because their current one was

20:30

getting old the council unanimously

20:32

agreed to it even as one member made a

20:34

pretty revealing comment this is the

20:37

first time Council has kind of been

20:38

informed that we've even received those

20:40

funds um

20:43

and not entirely sure how we're going to

20:45

use the rest of it but we should

20:47

definitely you know have a plan in place

20:50

not that this isn't a good need um but I

20:53

would hate to see that money get Whitted

20:55

away 135,000 at a time without being

20:59

thoughtful about the impact this money

21:00

could have for the city of Vienna right

21:03

when you don't have a plan for your

21:05

money it can be easy to spend it in a

21:07

thoughtless way it's a lot harder to

21:09

break into your savings when it's

21:10

labeled college funds and not holy

21:12

look at all this free jar money and that

21:15

impulse of not wanting the settlement to

21:17

be Whitted away without serious thought

21:19

is a good one but here's the thing just

21:21

3 months later the same guy returned to

21:24

that same room to show her photos of the

21:26

new police dog they bought and make a

21:28

new request and here is the mayor

21:30

announcing that request to the council

21:32

the next item on our agenda this evening

21:34

is a resolution to authorize the

21:36

purchase of two midsize or full-size

21:39

SUVs for the Vienna Police Department

21:41

using opioid settlement funds no don't

21:45

do it the police already have multiple

21:48

funding sources they could use for cars

21:49

we're constantly throwing money at them

21:52

they're basically your Rich friend that

21:54

Veno request you

21:56

$245 after splitting a popcorn at the

21:58

movies Tristan this would be unhinged

22:01

Behavior even if your mom's name wasn't

22:02

blue on Wikipedia now to their credit a

22:06

council member spoke up again to express

22:08

reservations about how little

22:10

consideration seemed to be going into

22:12

how they were spending this money I

22:14

think we need to sit down and have a

22:15

broader conversation about what we want

22:18

to do with this money some and get more

22:20

voices at the table obviously yes we're

22:22

going to take care of the police

22:23

department in the ways that we can but

22:25

it's a bigger thing it's about

22:27

prevention and we want to see that th

22:30

those prevention dollars filter into our

22:32

community I think that Council we just

22:34

need to put our heads together and have

22:36

some time to figure out how we're going

22:37

to direct that money most effectively

22:40

and efficiently exactly and that was

22:42

only slightly undermined by the fact

22:44

that just 10 seconds after she was done

22:46

speaking the council voted unanimously

22:48

to spend the money on the SUVs anyway

22:50

which is just maddening even Oprah would

22:53

watch that and think hey guys you can't

22:55

just give people cars that way because

22:58

the sad truth is even if every penny

23:00

from the settlement did go to

23:02

alleviating the opioid crisis it would

23:04

still just be scratching the surface but

23:06

anytime you watch this money go toward

23:08

policing drug users instead of helping

23:10

them it just feels like adding insult to

23:12

injury especially to communities of

23:14

color who are so used to being overp

23:16

policed and underserved so what can we

23:19

do well again the good news here is that

23:22

we are still pretty close to the

23:23

beginning of this process so we're at a

23:25

point where we can change the Arc of

23:27

this story and there ways to do that for

23:29

instance states can decide what counts

23:31

as an allowable expense California has

23:33

said that local governments may not use

23:35

money from the abatement fund to

23:37

purchase many of the law enforcement

23:39

toys that you've seen tonight they even

23:40

put out a list explicitly stating the

23:42

money can't be spent on Kines Bower app

23:45

or the truear analyzer which is good

23:48

States could also be more transparent

23:50

about how they're spending their funds

23:51

and some are doing a good job of that

23:53

North Carolina and Colorado are

23:55

currently the gold standard with each

23:57

having online portals providing

23:58

up-to-date information on where their

24:00

money is going but it's clearly not

24:02

enough for the decisions to be

24:04

transparent they also have to be good

24:07

there are tools that we know work here

24:10

and they need to be funded with this

24:11

money as additional spending not just

24:14

swapping out one funding stream for

24:16

another and for the final time there are

24:18

places spending it wisely on proven

24:20

tools that have a real impact but there

24:23

are other places that just aren't and if

24:26

you're wondering which place do I live

24:28

in you may need to find out and that

24:31

unfortunately can mean having to show up

24:33

in small rooms like the ones that you've

24:34

seen tonight and asking questions and

24:37

advocating for real solutions and if

24:38

someone in that room suggests spending

24:40

money on rope guns or new Sirens

24:44

or God forbid filling a pothole tell

24:47

them no because as I believe this human

24:50

Statue of Liberty once said that is not

24:53

what this money is

24:57

for e

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Tags associés
Opioid CrisisSettlement FundsPublic HealthTransparencyAddiction RecoveryLaw EnforcementBudget AllocationHealth PolicyCommunity ImpactPrevention EffortsMisallocated Resources
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