A trial with major implications for Washington’s opioid crisis response is now underway in Seattle. The state argues that one of its largest pharmacy chains helped fuel the addiction epidemic that has killed thousands of residents.
To be sure, The Evergreen State already features a wide range of treatment programs for any level of care. But authorities note how the easy access of prescription opioids fuels the cycle in the first place. By limiting access on the consumer level, officials hope to reduce the numbers of those impacted.
Washington Residents Should Know About the Albertsons Trial
The Washington Attorney General’s Office opened its trial against Albertsons on July 13 in King County Superior Court, before Judge Janet Helson. The case, expected to run through early September, alleges that Albertsons pharmacies failed to prevent the misuse of opioids across the state for more than 15 years.
According to the Attorney General, Albertsons dispensed 641 million opioid pills in Washington from 2006 to 2022. The grocery chain also allegedly unlawfully filled red-flagged opioid prescriptions for drugs like hydrocodone more than 6.5 million times without adequately investigating warning signs of misuse or diversion. Albertsons runs 200+ pharmacies in Washington under its Albertsons, Safeway and Haggen brands.
The Human Toll Behind the Numbers
More than 26,000 Washingtonians have died from opioid overdoses since the crisis began, and more than 7,400 of those deaths occurred in just the last three years. Attorney General Nick Brown said the scale of dispensing staggered him. “At its peak, Albertsons dispensed enough pills for every senior, adult, child and baby every year to have half a dozen pain pills every year for over a decade,” relayed Brown.
Furthermore, in 2023 alone, dozens of Washington children fell victim to accidental opioid ingestion. Those who recovered experienced severe withdrawal symptoms. The deaths underscore how the opioid crisis has reached beyond people who use drugs directly and into families and households across the state.
The lawsuit alleges Albertsons’ corporate policies prioritized prescription volume over patient safety, discouraging pharmacists from turning away suspicious prescriptions and keeping stores siloed so staff couldn’t share information about risky prescribers. The state argues this contributed directly to the volume of opioids that ultimately reached Washington communities, from big cities to smaller towns across the state.
Opioid Addiction and Diversion
Prescription opioid addiction often begins with a legitimate prescription for pain management before tolerance and dependence develop. Signs of opioid addiction can include taking more medication than prescribed, seeking prescriptions from multiple providers, and continuing to use despite negative consequences at work, home or in relationships.
The state alleges Albertsons’ own internal documents acknowledged that four out of five new heroin users started with prescription pills. This pattern emerged nationally as people who become dependent on prescription opioids sometimes turn to cheaper or more accessible gateway street drugs.
Washington’s case argues that pharmacies have a legal responsibility to identify and resolve red flags of diversion before dispensing controlled substances, a responsibility the state says Albertsons systematically failed to meet.
Addiction Treatment in Washington & Beyond
Since the opioid crisis began, the Washington Attorney General’s Office has recovered more than $1.3 billion for state and local governments to help address the harms caused by opioid addiction. For residents trying to cope with opioid use or supporting a loved one who is, addiction treatment centers across Washington offer detox, medication-assisted treatment, and outpatient support tailored to opioid use disorder.
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