Towns Begin Receiving $600,000 in Opioid Settlement Money

HARWICH – Harwich and other towns across Cape Cod will start receiving money from the national opioid settlement with drug manufacturers and distributors including Johnson & Johnson. 

Beginning this month, Harwich will receive an allocation of just over $600,000 beginning this calendar year through 2038, according to Town Manager Joseph Powers.

“It is a payment that starts out roughly in the high $60,000’s and more or less smooths out to high $20,000 or low $30,000,” Powers told select board members. 

The abatement can be used by the town as it sees fit, with select board members saying they will focus the money where it can do the most good for the community.

“There are a number of well-qualified and earnest advocacy groups that would be looking to potentially use some if not all those funds to try and impact upon our community—to use those funds to impact upon the opioid crisis that still rages,” said Powers.

Board member Mary Anderson asked why Harwich was receiving the $600,000 when other towns that are larger were receiving less. 

Powers said he was unaware of the exact details of the settlement that lead to the figures.

Gillian Feiner, Senior Enforcement Counsel for Attorney General Maura Healey, said that the amount will vary with each town’s government structure. 

Officials are currently working with a law firm to receive the first of several payments to be received over the next 15 years.

About Grady Culhane

Grady Culhane is a Cape Cod native from Eastham. He studied media communications at Cape Cod Community College and joined the CapeCod.com News Center in 2019.



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