Several companies facing lawsuits agree on opioid settlement

(KYMA, KECY/ CNN) - CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart have tentatively agreed to pay at least $12 billion to settle opioid lawsuits.

According to Bloomberg, the lawsuits were brought by state and local governments. They allege the retailers mishandled prescriptions of opioid painkillers.

More than 3,000 lawsuits have been filed against pharmacies, opioid manufacturers, and distributors, accusing them of downplaying the addiction risks of opioids and also failing to stop the pills from being used illegally.

Data shows the opioid crisis has claimed more than half a million lives over the past two decades. 80,000 of them in 2021 alone.