PIERRE, S.D. — Fentanyl-related arrests and seizures have surged across South Dakota, reflecting a troubling rise in the state’s encounter with the deadly synthetic opioid. In 2024, law enforcement reported 330 arrests related to fentanyl—a significant increase from 284 in 2023. The quantity of fentanyl seized also reached alarming levels, with 18.2 pounds confiscated this year, up from 10.2 pounds in 2023.
The growth in fentanyl trafficking highlights the opioid’s pervasiveness and lethality. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, and a single kilogram (2.204 pounds) has the potential to kill 500,000 people, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley emphasized the seriousness of the issue, stating, “Fentanyl continues to be a national concern that has come to South Dakota. We’ve had 330 arrests this year, seizing over 18 pounds, which is enough fentanyl to kill almost five times the population of South Dakota.”
Jackley noted that some of the seizures involved large shipments of approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills. He stressed the need for a multi-pronged approach to combat the crisis. “I think the big thing in South Dakota is prevention, prevention, prevention, and we need to make stronger efforts on treatment as well as our law enforcement efforts as fentanyl continues to be a problem here in South Dakota and across the country,” he said.
Fentanyl, often laced into other illicit drugs, poses a hidden danger to users who may not realize the substance they are consuming contains the lethal opioid.
Emily’s Hope Expands Prevention and Naloxone Distribution
In response to the escalating crisis, Emily’s Hope is intensifying its efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic through prevention and education. The nonprofit is expanding its free naloxone distribution program across South Dakota to make the opioid-reversal drug more accessible. Currently, Emily’s Hope has distribution boxes in Sioux Falls, Vermillion, Pierre, and Rapid City. Naloxone kits, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, are available to the public to help save lives.
“We encourage everyone to carry naloxone in case of an overdose,” Marley Miller, Emily’s Hope Program Coordinator, stated. “These resources are vital to reducing overdose deaths and supporting our communities.”
In addition to naloxone distribution, Emily’s Hope’s K-12 Substance Use Prevention Curriculum is equipping students with the knowledge to protect their bodies and brains. The curriculum focuses on the dangers of fentanyl and other substances, teaching prevention strategies starting at an early age. It’s being administered by schools in South Dakota and four other states to thousands of students.