Walmart agrees to $3.1 billion settlement over opioid lawsuits

Walmart has agreed to a $3.1 billion legal settlement over the toll of powerful prescription opioids sold at its pharmacies, marking the latest major drug industry player to promise major support to state, local and tribal governments still grappling with a crisis in overdose deaths.

The retail giant's announcement on Tuesday follows similar proposals on November 2 from the two largest U.S. pharmacy chains, CVS Health and Walgreen Co., which each said they would pay about $5 billion.

The majority of drugmakers that produced the most opioids have already reached settlements, as have the biggest drug distribution companies. With the largest pharmacies now joining in, the settlements represent a shift in the opioid litigation saga. For years, the question of whether companies would be held accountable for the overdose crisis that a flood of prescription drugs helped spark remained.