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Lawyers pause plan to divide opioid settlement

Posted at 11:36 AM, Jun 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-25 14:04:21-04

CLEVELAND (AP) — Differences between state and local governments on how to handle any future settlement with the drug industry over the toll of opioids won't play out in court just yet.

Lawyers for county and municipal governments were set to present their plan at a federal court hearing Tuesday for dividing money among nearly 25,000 local governments if a settlement can be reached with companies that make, distribute and sell powerful prescription painkillers.

But after objections from drug distributors and pharmacies and words of caution from state attorneys general, they agreed to take more input and rework their plan over the next few weeks.

Judge Dan Polster, who is overseeing nearly 2,000 cases over opioids, said he'd now have a hearing on the idea on Aug. 6.