nationwide – COOPER GENERAL NEWS

New York State Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference to announce criminal justice reform on May 21, 2021 in New York City, United States.

Brendan McDermid | Reuters

Johnson & Johnson has reached a $ 230 million settlement with New York State that prevents the company from promoting opioids and has confirmed that sales of such products have ceased in the United States.

New York Attorney General Letitia James’s office said in a statement Saturday the agreement prohibits J&J from promoting opioids by any means and prohibits lobbying for such products at the federal, state or local levels.

Johnson & Johnson has not marketed any opioids in the US since 2015 and completely ceased business in 2020.

As part of the settlement, the company will settle opioid-related claims and spread payments over nine years. It could also pay $ 30 million more in the first year if the state executive board signs a new law creating an opioid settlement fund, according to the press release from James’ office.

The settlement follows years of lawsuits filed by states, cities, and counties against large pharmaceutical companies over the opioid crisis that killed nearly 500,000 people in the United States over the past few decades.

Governments have argued that companies have prescribed the medication too often, causing people to become addicted and abuse other illegal forms of opioids, while companies have stated that they have distributed the required amount of the product to people with medical problems help.

“The opioid epidemic has wreaked havoc in countless communities in New York state and the rest of the nation, and millions are still addicted to dangerous and deadly opioids,” James said in a statement.

“Johnson & Johnson helped start that fire, but today they are pledging to leave the opioid business – not just in New York but across the country,” she said. “J&J no longer makes or sells opioids in the United States.”

The New York opioid lawsuit against the rest of the defendants will begin this week, according to the announcement. Other defendants in the New York lawsuit include Purdue Pharma; Mallinckrodt LLC; Endo health solutions; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA; and Allergan Finance LLC.

In a statement on Saturday, Johnson & Johnson said the settlement was “not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the company” and “in line with the terms of the previously announced $ 5 billion settlement agreement in principle for opioid settlement “. and claims from states, cities, counties, and tribal governments. “

The company also said it will continue to defend itself against lawsuits that the definitive deal won’t resolve.

James said the state will focus on funding opioid prevention, treatment and education efforts to “prevent any future devastation”.

Starbucks will now serve Oatlys oat milk.

Starbucks

Oat milk has officially become mainstream.

Starbucks cafes across the country will stock Oatly’s dairy replacements starting Tuesday, the coffee chain said on Monday. The oat milk is added to Starbucks’ spring menu with the new Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso.

For Oatly, coffee shops are a crucial way of presenting the characteristic product to consumers. Consumers can try oat milk – usually for a small additional fee that is common for milk alternatives – without committing to purchase an entire carton.

The approach has helped Oatly build and retain a large fan base even as new competitors such as Chobani or private label products hit the market. Last year, oat milk sales in the United States rose more than 170% in the 52 weeks ending February 13, compared to the same time a year ago, according to Nielsen data.

The coffee giant’s permanent menu addition is the latest big announcement for Oatly, which debuted in U.S. coffee shops just five years ago. The Swedish company aired its first US commercial in early February with a Super Bowl spot in which its CEO sang about oat milk. On Tuesday, Oatly announced that it had applied for an IPO in the United States in confidence

Starbucks added oat milk from Oatly competitor Elmhurst in 1925 at select upscale reserve locations. Last year a pilot project began in the Midwest to test a wider audience with Oatly’s version. The coffee chain has expanded its menu to include more plant-based alternatives in order to win new customers and to be more environmentally friendly.

Coffee shops have always played an important role in Oatly’s expansion strategy. From 2016, the coffee chain Intelligentsia of the third wave will be serving Oatly in their cafes. The company focused on convincing baristas and coffee drinkers of the creamy texture and foaming ability of oat milk before it hit grocery stores.

A shortage in 2018 led to eBay listings for Oatly boxes at sky-high prices and motivated the company to open its first U.S. facility in New Jersey the following year. Oatly has also expanded into new categories such as: B. Oat-based versions of yogurt and ice cream.