The state Legislature earlier this year made a smart move by effectively placing money received in settlement agreements from drug companies in a “lock box” that can only be used for drug-related programs.

Chautauqua County has taken a similar approach, requiring by resolution that 79% of its share of between $426,798 and about $996,051 over 10 years as its share of a settlement agreement with opioid makers Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc. be used for treatment or prevention of opioid addiction.

The problem is that can mean a lot of different things to different people.

Acceptable uses could mean pooling the money to create treatment centers, expanding programs to address the needs of babies addicted to opioids, education efforts to prevent overdoses or misuse of opioids or a host of other avenues.

Given the myriad of uses for drug settlement money and the knowledge that the Johnson and Johnson settlement is the first of a couple such settlements, Chautauqua County needs to convene a group of first responders, Chautauqua County Health Board members and members of the treatment community to make sure this money is put to the best use.