Mecklenburg Board approves joining multi-defendant opioid-distributor settlement

Mecklenburg County voted to authorize participation in a settlement resolving claims against multiple pharmaceutical distributors and wholesalers. Staff said an outside law firm that represents localities negotiated terms and informed the county that it had reached an agreement with the following defendants: Associated Pharmacies Inc.; JM Smith Corporation; Louisiana Wholesale Drug Company; Morrison and Dixon; North Carolina Mutual Wholesale Drug Company; and United Natural Foods.

The board agreed to adopt a resolution authorizing the county to participate and accept its proportional share of settlement proceeds. The motion was made and the board adopted the resolution by voice vote.

Staff did not provide the county's anticipated recovery amount in the spoken record provided; county officials said only that adopting the resolution enables Mecklenburg County to accept whatever share the settlement formula yields and to participate in the distribution process.

What happens next: Staff will coordinate with the external law firm and the settlement administrator to enroll Mecklenburg County and to document the county's share of any distributions.