The majority of the estimated $206 billion resulting from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement have not gone to address smoking or public health.
Following a similar settlement of a multi-state litigation, the state of Connecticut is expecting around $600 million to address the state’s opioid overdose crisis, which resulted in 1,340 overdose deaths in 2023 alone. To avoid the experience of the Tobacco funds, Yale faculty are proactively providing recommendations on how to spend these funds.
With overdose-related deaths in the state at an all-time high, the arrival of these funds provides an opportunity for Connecticut to supplement ongoing efforts to address the harms of opioid use in the state.
Tags: Funding Opioid Epidemic Overdose Programs Settlement
