Maryland is on track to receive about $90 million from a tentative national settlement with Purdue Pharma, on top of more than $238 million already secured from earlier lawsuits against pharmacies like Walmart and Walgreens. Announced in mid‑June 2025, the settlement marks a crucial milestone in the state’s multi‑year effort to use legal winnings to support addiction recovery and public health.
Attorney General Anthony Brown called the preliminary agreement a “critical milestone,” stressing that the funds could serve as a lifeline for Marylanders fighting opioid addiction and overdose risk. With final numbers still being negotiated, the state’s share might exceed the initial $90 million estimate.
Maryland has already begun distributing opioid settlement money through its Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF), which channels funds into prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery programs statewide. Upcoming this summer, a second set of grants—totaling nearly $100 million—will be directed to community-based organizations, especially those serving rural or under-resourced areas that might lack grant-writing capacity.
(One grantee, the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), received approximately $370,000 to boost addiction-studies training and support Peer Recovery Specialist workforce development across central Maryland.)
In 2024, the Maryland legislature passed HB 980/SB 751, requiring the state’s Department of Health to create a public dashboard showing how opioid settlement funds are allocated and spent. The state's Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council now makes recommendations to prioritize spending across five key focus areas: prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and public safety.
Communities - including Baltimore City, which secured its own $650 million+ in settlement awards - will have increased access to harm reduction tools like naloxone. Peer‑led recovery services, workforce training, and supportive housing are expected to grow. State officials stress that funds should build capacity, not just replace existing federal or local budgets.
Despite growing resources, Maryland faces hurdles:
Maryland is harnessing opioid settlement dollars to transform its addiction treatment infrastructure. With millions already allocated—plus more on the way—it’s a pivotal moment to invest in prevention, treatment, and recovery. Yet the real test lies ahead: ensuring those dollars build long-term recovery, reach underserved communities, and fuel healing—not just bureaucratic processes.