There has long been concern about fentanyl use and what’s coming into the county in regard to street drugs, but after four recent deaths in particular that may be drug or addiction-related, there is growing alarm. Federal and Tribal investigators are currently looking into the most recent death of a 45-year-old Flandreau resident and member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. At the time the Moody County Enterprise went to print, toxicology reports were still outstanding but an autopsy report was requested.
FSST President Tony Reider told the Moody County Enterprise that tribal officials are looking to take whatever actions they can to keep illicit and deadly street drugs out. He added however, that no one person or entity can fix or even well address this situation alone.
“We need to come together and stop any of this...there have been quite a few deaths now and it’s getting close to everybody knowing someone very personally that has passed because of this stuff (fentanyl). We need to get as much cooperation between law enforcement agencies, governments and medical facilities,” said Reider. “Nobody’s got the answer and if they do, bring it forward. Please help.”
Drug Enforcement Administration Divisions across the U.S. are seeing overdose deaths continue to climb at an alarming rate, especially those caused by fentanyl. “The DEA has been seeing Mexican cartels sourcing raw, dangerous chemicals from China, using these chemicals to cheaply produce the deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl. This fentanyl is then trafficked into the area, mixed into almost every illicit drug, and sold to unsuspecting buyers, causing an extraordinary spike in deadly overdose deaths,” the agency states.

The DEA goes on to warn that drug dealers are easily targeting our children, not only in-person in every community across the nation, but online. Many think they are getting legitimate prescription drugs.
Families everywhere are strongly encouraged to talk with loved ones struggling with addiction and explain the dangers about the risks of any drug use. It is also recommended that parents talk with their children about the dangers of experimenting with what they’re told may be a harmless pill. Fentanyl pills are generally described as a small round blue to light blue pill with “M30” stamped onto it.
As FSST looks to expand its medical marijuana program both locally and elsewhere (Mitchell and across the state and nation), some express that there may be a tragic irony in the growing rate of drug-related deaths.
Tribal officials, including Council member Jonathan Schroeder, understand that it is a fine line they are walking. But there is a belief in the health benefits of a tightly controlled and regulated industry increasingly being proven to address conditions such as chronic pain, nausea (cancer treatments), MS-related spacicity and PTSD, among other conditions, versus what’s being peddled anymore online or on the street.
While voters approved both medicinal and recreational marijuana in South Dakota in 2020, legislators and the Governor continue to go back and forth over how to implement any of it. In the meantime, some legitimate medical card holders are getting caught in the crosshairs.
“What is concerning to me is a state’s attorney more concerned about medical cannabis cards and cannabis patients rather than the bigger issues flooding our county and state,” Schroeder said, in regard to recent arrests or citations given to those in area to purchase medicinal marijuana.
“Methamphetamine and fentanyl are running rampant… and seems the state is more focused on fighting cannabis and the voters.”