This week, hundreds of tribes agreed to a tentative opioids lawsuit settlement with Johnson & Johnson and three major drug distributors worth roughly $590 million. Although Johnson & Johnson continues to deny responsibility for its role in the opioid crisis, Native Americans have been disproportionately overrepresented among opioid deaths. If the tribes agree to the settlement agreement, they’ll be able to put the money towards combating the opioid crisis in their own communities. 

The Takeaway speaks with Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Cherokee Nation Principal Chief, about the settlement and the impact of the opioid crisis on his tribe. The Cherokee Nation previously announced a $75 million settlement with distributors McKesson, Amerisourcebergen and Cardinal Health in September 2021.