Trial begins in WA suit against Albertsons over opioid epidemic liability

Washington state wants grocery chain Albertsons to pay for its alleged role in fueling an opioid epidemic that has killed thousands here.

State Attorney General Nick Brown argues Albertsons dispensed hundreds of millions of opioid pills despite red flags in many cases that should’ve made the company’s pharmacy staff think twice.

A trial in the state’s lawsuit against Albertsons began Monday in King County Superior Court. The verdict could result in more money for Washington’s response to the opioid crisis.

“Pharmacies are supposed to be the last line of defense against potent addictive medication being misused or diverted into the illegal drug market,” Kelsey Endres, from Brown’s office, said in an opening statement at the trial. “This corporation, however, left its pharmacists and other employees without the vital tools needed to fulfill their role.”

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/07/13/trial-begins-in-wa-suit-against-albertsons-over-opioid-epidemic-liability/