The Daily Freeman is reporting that Greene County will receive up to $1.2 million, and Columbia County up to $965,000, to combat opioid abuse, state Attorney General Letitia James announced October 5. James said the money is coming from settlements her office negotiated with opioid manufacturers and distributors after lawsuits were filed in March 2019. The companies are Johnson & Johnson, McKesson, Cardinal Health, Amerisource Bergen, and Endo. The attorney general said the companies, “were responsible for heavily marketing opioids to doctors, hospitals, health care systems and others, which led to the overprescription of the drugs across New York and the rest of the nation over the last two decades.” James said the money will help, “turn the tide on the opioid crisis” and “be vital in helping to prevent future deaths.” Ulster County will receive up to $3.6 million and Dutchess County will receive up to $6.4 million. The statewide distribution of settlement money could reach $1.5 billion. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.