RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – According to the National Center of Drug Abuse Statistics, South Dakota has 86 drug overdose deaths per year.
To combat this problem, the South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations held an event to “STOMP” out drugs in communities all across the state.
The seventh annual State Tribal Opioid and Meth Prevention Summit, or STOMP, brought together state, local and tribal prevention providers, as well as law enforcement, to build a better future for South Dakota.
The two-day summit in Pierre worked to emphasize the importance of finding a way to fight the drug epidemic in South Dakota, especially in lower-income and tribal communities.
“Drugs do not recognize borders, they do not recognize territories, they do not recognize state or tribal boundaries and these issues impact all of South Dakota, so the best way to combat these issues is by working together, building partnerships,” David Flute, the cabinet secretary for the South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations, said.
Flute …