It Doesn't Work that Way!
Extra Commentary on the Opioid Settlements
Click Here to Read My New Article for Reason Magazine!
In my latest piece, which you can find in Reason Magazine, I attempt to follow the money trail to determine where opioid funds are heading. Asking whether it means a solution for the opioid crisis. Surprise, Surprise, I'm skeptical.
A key reason drug-crusaders gave for some of the most extensive litigation in US history was that the money would become justice. Funds taken from those wicked Sacklers and companies like Purdue would get used to help fight addiction and provide compensation for victims. The media, of course, ate it up and never asked one question if those claims were legitimate. Always happy to lead their audiences on -as did HBO with Gibney- that if only we could hold those companies to account, the crisis might be over.
My regret is that when victims find out the lack of efficacy by lawsuit, that it will demoralize those fighting addictions as well as overdose victims' families. There is too much suffering already, I never want to add more stress to the overflowing cups that these people have to bear.
There are some exceptions out there that may provide some efficacy in addiction funds, Arizona according to the Opioid Settlement Tracker:
“Arizona's MOU includes a surprisingly robust reporting mechanism. For instance, following a written demand, "when it appears to at least eight Participating Counties that have signed on to this MOU and a subsequent Settlement that the State Share funds are being or have been spent on non-Approved Purposes, the Participating Counties may seek and obtain in an action in a superior court of Maricopa County, Arizona an injunction prohibiting the State from spending State Share funds on non-Approved Purposes and requiring the State to return the monies it spent on nonApproved Purposes after notice as is required by the rules of civil procedure. So long as the action is pending, distribution of State Share funds to the State temporarily will be suspended’.”
What money does get out there, its an open question if it will do any good? The piece outlines that addiction policy isn’t what people think it is. Often the policies support ineffective programs, or public school initiatives or daycare, or more policing, or any other hot-button issue or want any state might have. It is not enough to say spend funds on X program, but that the program is worthwhile and there are quality controls. If you ever met a corrupt member of a PTA, you will realize that even with solid controls, human corruption can get involved and make it almost pointless.
As you can read in Stat News, victims are beginning to realize they were never the priority for all this litigation. All feel manipulated when they comprehend they've been used to enrich some lawyers that graduated from Princeton and Yale cum laude. I have nothing but sympathy for them and contempt for anyone who led them on about the final result of this civil litigation.
But for the politicians and media personalities, I only have contempt. These manipulators comforted themselves with the suffering and broken hopes of families with some cash and a company Christmas card from Nix Patterson & Roach.