Central New York and Southern Tier Leaders Voice Support for AG James’ Settlement with Johnson & Johnson for Role in Opioid Crisis

Elected Officials and Advocates Across Central New York and the Southern Tier
Praise AG’s Settlement and Continued Commitment to Ending the Opioid Crisis 

NEW YORK – After New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an agreement this past weekend with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) that will deliver up to $230 million to New York state — the largest monetary settlement ever secured by Attorney General James — and bar the company and all of its subsidiaries, predecessors, and successors from manufacturing or selling opioids anywhere in the nation, elected officials and community leaders across Central New York and the Southern Tier came out and expressed their support for the agreement.

“This settlement is a huge win for the people of Broome County and all of New York state who have witnessed the heartbreaking effects of the opioid epidemic,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “We will now be able to make additional investments in critical intervention, treatment, and prevention tools that will help keep opioids out of our communities and put more people on a path to recovery. I’d like to thank the Attorney General for her leadership in our fight against opioids.”

“The opioid crisis has had a devastating effect on our community, state, and nation,” said Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon. “The COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened this crisis and it will take same commitment and tenacity that we used to defeat COVID-19 to defeat this serious public health crisis. Thank you to Attorney General James and her team for their tireless efforts to hold these companies accountable and subsequently deliver the resources we need to continue our fight on the front lines.”

“In Central New York, we all know someone whose life has been turned upside down by opioid abuse,” said State Senator John Mannion. “There's one less drug company profiting from addiction today thanks to the Attorney General's hard work, and there's millions of new dollars available to support New Yorkers suffering due to the epidemic. This settlement will make a real difference for families in our community.”

“My community, like so many others, has been devastated by the irresponsible actions of drug manufacturers over the course of many years,” said State Assemblymember Donna Lupardo. “As a co-sponsor of the legislation creating the Opioid Settlement Fund, it was very important that payments go directly to prevention, early intervention and treatment. Thank you to the Attorney General and her team for securing these much-needed resources.”

“No amount of money will ever undo the devastation that occurred from the irresponsible and reckless over prescribing of opioids,” said State Assemblymember Pamela Hunter. “However, this settlement will bolster New York’s efforts towards addiction treatments and prevention. With much of our recent progress undermined by the challenges of the pandemic, the settlement secured by Attorney General James will help New York get back on track while holding companies like Johnson & Johnson accountable.”

“I want to thank Attorney General James for her hard work and perseverance to protect New Yorker from one our deadliest crisis,” said State Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon. “Opioids destroy lives, families, and communities, and now one of the strongest roots of the problem is being held accountable.”

“This settlement from Attorney General James is momentous and sets the right healing path forward for our state and our country to address opioid use disorder,” said State Assemblymember Anna Kelles. “Our bodies and our lives are not and should never be used as a vehicle to amass wealth for wealth's sake and this settlement draws a line in the sand stating that we, as a state, will not stand for this kind of greed and abuse.”