Government

Brick Receives Latest Round of Opioid Settlement Funding

by
Daniel Nee
October 1, 2025

Pill bottles. (File Photo)

Brick Township, a party to national litigation over the proliferation of opioid prescription medications that are believed to have led to the heroin and fentanyl crisis of today, has received the latest round of payments as part of a settlement in the case.

Last week, the township council approved the acceptance of $193,600. The money is derived as Brick’s share of a settlement against pharmaceutical companies, representing the latest round of settlements in a number of wide-reaching cases brought by a number of states, plus local and county governments across the country.

The township last received settlement funding in December 2024 in the amount of $943,539 from the state Division of Law and Public Safety. That agency acted as the lead in collecting funds from various settlements. As such settlements are reached, the funding amount per town is determined by several national datapoints, adjusted for local population, including the amount of opioids shipped to a region, the number of opioid-related deaths that occurred during relevant timeframes and the number of people who are estimated to have become addicted to the drugs.

The litigation is expected to continue to produce settlements through 2038, according to the state Office of the Attorney General.

Brick Township has used grant funding to cover its costs to participate in several anti-addiction programs – a major requirement as to how the settlement proceeds must be spent. Brick was one of the first municipalities to participate in a diversion program that allowed those suffering from opioid addiction to come to the police department seeking help, and officers were empowered to offer assistance to those they encountered during their duties. Through state-level enabling legislation, some people who would have normally faced arrest and criminal charges are offered the chance to obtain treatment instead.