> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://news.opioidpolicy.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# The New Yorker (7 Oct 2026)
- URL: https://news.opioidpolicy.org/the-new-yorker-7-oct-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-07T15:57:49.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-07T16:04:19.000Z
- Description: Highlighting problems with opioid settlement spending
- Author: Jonathan JK Stoltman (PhD)
- Tags: Opioid Settlement Money, In the News, WFAM

# [How the Billions from the Opioid Settlement Are Being Spent](https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/how-the-billions-from-the-opioid-settlement-are-being-spent)

We discuss the slow spending and the lack of local guidance (these things are connected!). Both these things contribute to misspending on law enforcement.

[Millions from the Opioid Settlement Are Being Spent on Law EnforcementPeople often call money from the opioid settlement “blood money,” and you might expect that it would go mostly to the families of people who died of overdoses. But much of it has gone to law enforcement—for squad cars, jail costs, drones, and more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/96/d5/96d508b5-cdb3-41b4-8b42-c402c3098b68/content/images/icon/favicon-55c13a9d-0cfe-495d-a21e-1948f5693c9d.ico)The New YorkerOliver Whang![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/96/d5/96d508b5-cdb3-41b4-8b42-c402c3098b68/content/images/thumbnail/465-20Opioid-20funds-20-E2-80-93-C2-A0Target-202-20-1--92363e71-3eae-40a0-af55-0c1a895ddc7e.jpg)](https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/how-the-billions-from-the-opioid-settlement-are-being-spent)

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#### ****Why Trust Us?**

****Jonathan Stoltman, PhD**  
Jonathan has worked as a researcher and advocate focusing on opioid addiction treatment and recovery since 2013\. He completed his PhD in Lifespan Developmental Psychology from West Virginia University in 2019\. Jonathan’s academic work has appeared in leading journals, conferences, and media outlets. He has been working on opioid settlement-related topics since 2020.

#### Why You Can Trust OPI

The Opioid Policy Institute exists to help communities improve their response to opioid-related death and disease. We provide evidence-based research and analysis that translates complex legal guidance and public health research into practical, usable insights. Our focus is on transparency, accountability, and community healing by increasing access to evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery supports.  
  
OPI’s analysis reflects a collaborative, team-based approach. We blend real-world and academic experience to help ensure our work is methodologically sound, grounded in evidence, and attentive to real-world implementation challenges. We focus on asking the right questions, surfacing tradeoffs, and helping communities build robust responses to addiction.

[Opioid Policy Institute](https://news.opioidpolicy.org/) by [Jonathan JK Stoltman, PhD](https://opioidpolicy.org/team) is licensed under [CC BY-NC-SA 4.0![](https://mirrors.creativecommons.org/presskit/icons/cc.svg?ref=chooser-v1)![](https://mirrors.creativecommons.org/presskit/icons/by.svg?ref=chooser-v1)![](https://mirrors.creativecommons.org/presskit/icons/nc.svg?ref=chooser-v1)![](https://mirrors.creativecommons.org/presskit/icons/sa.svg?ref=chooser-v1)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1)