Meigs County Joins OneOhio Agreement in Opioid Manufacturer Suit
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost have announced that local governments encompassing more than two-thirds of the state’s population have signed on to OneOhio, a plan to jointly approach settlement negotiations and litigation with the drug manufacturers and distributors of opioids. Meigs County had filed their lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, but voted at last week’s Meigs County Commissioners meeting, the commissioners voted to join the OneOhio agreement.
Meigs County was one of the commitments received from local governments representing more than 9.8 million Ohioans, or 85% of the state’s population of 11.7 million. The list includes 73 of Ohio’s 88 county governments, with participation from rural, suburban and urban areas alike.
All votes cast for OneOhio membership were unanimous.
“I am pleased that Ohio’s communities have agreed to come together as OneOhio,” said Governor DeWine. “It’s a simple concept, but when we are united, we are stronger. OneOhio puts us in the best position to face the drug companies did so much to destroy lives and communities when they got Ohioans hooked on their highly addictive products.”
“When it comes to the opioid crisis, almost all of us are in the same boat,” said Attorney General Yost. “This agreement formalizes our intent to stand together. We are stronger when we’re united.”
OneOhio provides a mechanism for the distribution of any opioid settlement funds and outlines how the funds can be used. Specifically:
- 30% of the funding will be set aside for community recovery, money that will go directly to every township, village, city and county in Ohio – more than 2,000 in all – to address the immediate needs of residents.
- 55% will be set aside for the creation of a statewide foundation that will develop and oversee the funding of short-term and long-term planning that local communities need to continue to address this crisis.
- 15% will go to the state of Ohio, to be used to leverage statewide buying power to offer prevention, treatment and recovery support services.
According to a statement from the Governor’s Office, “OneOhio ensures a settlement for Ohio that recognizes that every corner of the state has been hit hard by the crisis. It focuses funding on programs that address prevention, treatment and long-term recovery; criminal justice; and public awareness costs that promote the overall health and well-being of Ohioans. Equally important, the plan ensures that these funds are preserved and flexible over time as a way of helping the state combat the ever-evolving drug problem.”