FOUND MONEY LOST –
Nov. 2025 – In March 2022, companies involved in the opioid crisis reached a settlement with New Jersey that would provide the state $1 billion over 18 years. These funds were generally understood to be used for evidence-based treatments for opioid addiction. But earlier this year, with Governor Phil Murphy’s approval, the New Jersey Legislature passed a budget diverting $45 million of these funds to four large hospital systems with no strings attached.
In response, the Attorney General of New Jersey released a public statement warning that if the hospital systems do not spend the “blood money” specifically on citizens struggling with addiction, then the decision would be a “slap in the face” to families bearing the brunt of our current overdose crisis.
This heated disagreement was the latest in a growing line of controversies surrounding allocations of opioid settlement dollars across America. Although experts and advocates recognize that these funds have enormous potential to support patients who have historically faced increased barriers to addiction treatment, the public health community has raised concerns that states are squandering this opportunity by spending funds as general revenue without accountability.
