WARREN — Trumbull County has been awarded $344.4 million over 15 years, the result of opioid litigation settlement.

“For years, the dedicated front line workers of Trumbull County have fought to address the harms of the opioid crisis,” said county Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa, in making the announcement today.

“Through their experience and our efforts in this litigation, we know which mitigation strategies are effective in preventing further damage to our community. The news today means that we will soon have the long-awaited resources necessary to extend aid to properly address the harms caused by this devastating epidemic. We hope this will signal the beginning of the long road to recovery for the people of Trumbull County.”

Drug settlements were reached earlier this summer between Trumbull County and retail pharmacies that distributed highly addictive opioid drugs to local residents.

Litigation involved Rite Aid and Giant Eagle. Jurors in the civil case filed by Lake and Trumbull counties also had voted unanimously to hold Walmart, CVS and Walgreens responsible for contributing to the opioid epidemic.

Localities around Ohio are beginning to see the money won in the OneOhio National Opioid Settlement hit their accounts, and leaders can now decide how to best fight the opioid epidemic in their communities.

Trumbull County commissioners have voted unanimously to create a nine-person board that will make recommendations on spending the countyás multi-million dollar awards.