SAN FRANCISCO: Walgreens Boots Alliance contributed to the opioid epidemic in San Francisco through its sale of prescription drugs in the city, a federal judge concluded on Wednesday.

The amount the pharmacy chain must pay will be determined in a later trial.

San Francisco had sued Walgreens and several other companies over the opioid epidemic in the city, saying they created a “public nuisance” by flooding the city with prescription opioids and failing to prevent the drugs from being diverted for illegal use. A trial began in April and all of the defendants except Walgreens reached settlements before the court ruled.