State agrees to Walmart settlement over dispensing opioids

CONCORD — On Dec. 14, Attorney General John M. Formella announced that he has agreed to join a national settlement with Walmart to resolve allegations that the company contributed to the opioid addiction crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores. The agreement will provide New Hampshire with $15.5 million over the next year to fund treatment and recovery services to people struggling with opioid use disorder. It will also require significant improvements in how Walmart's pharmacies handle opioids, including complying with robust new oversight measures to prevent fraudulent prescriptions and flag suspicious prescriptions. 

“Addressing this opioid crisis head-on means leaving no stone unturned in redesigning systems from the ground up,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “That’s been the focus of my administration from day one.”