Kroger has agreed to pay $110 million to Kentucky to settle a lawsuit accusing its pharmacies of contributing to the opioid crisis by dispensing 444 million doses. Attorney General Russell Coleman argued that Kroger allowed addiction to spread without sufficient monitoring and training for staff. The funds will be used for addiction prevention and recovery efforts in the state. Kentucky's overdose death rates remain high despite a decline in recent years, with nearly 2,000 deaths recorded in 2023. Kroger denied wrongdoing but sought to contribute to combating opioid abuse.