Gadsden council signs on to opioid settlement participation process

The Gadsden City Council voted Tuesday to authorize the city’s participation in the national opioid settlement process, enabling the city to receive proceeds from agreed payments by manufacturers and distributors. Councilman Wilson described the decision as a step in a long-running legal process in which governments nationwide sued manufacturers and distributors over the opioid crisis. He said the city has already received some settlement proceeds earmarked for community investments such as Narcan and programs for addiction recovery and that this resolution notifies the state that Gadsden will participate in the settlement distribution process. Wilson emphasized the city does not yet know the final amounts the city will receive because distributions depend on the number of participating jurisdictions and the final settlement allocations. The council approved the resolution by voice vote; staff said funds received under the settlement may be used only for interventions and programs related to opioid abatement and response.