Grand Forks County commissioners on Aug. 5 voted to opt in to two nationwide opioid settlements and authorized the chairman to sign related paperwork.

County counsel briefed the board on two agreements:
- A multi‑manufacturer settlement involving a group of prescription drug makers (listed in the packet) with a combined nationwide settlement pool of approximately $720 million for participating states and political subdivisions; the final county allocation will depend on how many jurisdictions opt in.
- A larger settlement with Purdue Pharma and associated entities and family members, under which the agreed framework would require aggregate payments by the Sackler family and affiliates totaling about $6.5 billion (paid over time) plus expected estate proceeds around $900 million; the settlement includes injunctive relief aimed at limiting future manufacturer conduct and improving safeguards against diversion.

County counsel said the state of North Dakota had already opted in, and recommended that Grand Forks County also join the settlements. The board voted to opt in to both settlements and to authorize the chair’s signature.

Why this matters: Participation allows the county to claim a share of national settlement funds and to be part of injunctive and monitoring requirements intended to reduce opioid diversion. The precise dollar distributions to Grand Forks County will be determined later and depend on participation rates and allocation formulas.