RALPH’S JEALOUS? –
July 10, 2026 – “Between 2006 and 2022, Albertsons dispensed more than 641 million opioid pills into Washington, most of which had red flags that weren’t cleared before they were dispensed. At its peak, Albertsons dispensed enough pills for every senior, adult, child, and baby every year to have half a dozen pain pills every year for over a decade.”
More than 26,000 Washingtonians have died from an opioid overdose, and approximately 10 times that number have misused or became addicted to opioids. Many people who start with prescription opioids develop a need for more and more medication, become addicted, and ultimately switch to cheaper, more readily available, and/or stronger opioid class drugs like heroin or fentanyl, simply to avoid the crushing feeling of withdrawal. Albertsons’ documents acknowledge that 4 of 5 new heroin users began with prescription pills. Today, opioid deaths are higher than ever: In the last 3 years, over 7,400 Washingtonians have died from opioid overdoses. In 2023 alone, dozens of Washington children died or nearly died from accidental opioid ingestion.
