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Editor's Note: This hour discusses topics of drug addiction that some listeners may find disturbing or offensive. If you or anyone you know is living with addiction and depression, there are resources available for help. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's website or call the helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Also, visit the American Society of Addiction Medicine or American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry to find a list of qualified physicians by zip code or by state.

Two counties in Ohio have reached a major opioid settlement with the drug industry. It's valued at roughly $260 million. Local officials say that money paid out by drugmakers and distributors is desperately needed as they struggle to cope with the addiction crisis. But the settlement in Cleveland failed to produce clear legal precedents or any kind of national model for compensation as many observers had hoped. North Country Public Radio's Brian Mann reports.

Three U.S. drug distributors and a manufacturer reached a last-minute deal with two Ohio counties Monday, avoiding what would have been the first trial in a federal case on the opioid crisis.

Ohio's attorney general has moved to derail a massive suit against the opioid industry.

Attorneys for local governments across the country unveiled a plan Friday that they say would move the nation closer to a global settlement of lawsuits stemming from the deadly opioid crisis.

Each year, thousands of people from across the country go to Florida seeking treatment for drug addiction. Some find help and recover, but the vast majority relapse and continue to struggle with the disease, even after going through treatment many times.

Ohio is one of the states with the highest opioid related deaths, with over 3,600 deaths in 2016 (National Institute on Drug Abuse). While drug addiction certainly affects the health of the user, opioid abuse can also have harmful impacts on families and communities.

True stories and lessons learned from those still standing through adversity and fiery trials. Hosted by Recovery Writer Annie Highwater, Author of books "Unhooked", and "Unbroken." Created for sharing the lives of those who have struggled with (or have been adjacent to), addiction, alcoholism, codependency, crisis and chaos. Names, and minor details have been changed to preserve anonymity, but the experiences are real, raw and true. The purpose of this podcast is to let you know you're NOT alone. The world falls apart for everyone at some point, but ANYONE can recover and rise. Annie Highwater is a contributor to our book "Not Far From Me: Stories of Opioids and Ohio."