AG: South Dakota won't rely on feds to get serious about 'zombie drug'

Legislative, executive action next steps if Congress fails to act

If Congress doesn’t act, expect South Dakota’s top law enforcement official to call for action from the State Capitol.

That’s what Attorney General Marty Jackley told The Dakota Scout this week when he revealed South Dakota had recently had its first confirmed case of xylazine detected in illicit street drugs.

Jackley is among 39 Republican and Democrat attorneys generals around the country who this week signed onto a letter urging Congress to enact legislation making the substance, known as “tranq,” “tranq dope” and “zombie drug,” a controlled substance. But if that doesn’t happen in relatively short order, the first-term Republican AG said he’ll turn to Gov. Kristi Noem and the state Legislature to address what officials are calling a growing public health crisis.

“If this becomes a controlled substance, we would fit our statutes into the Drug Enforcement Administration schedules. That's how this typically works and that would be the best way to do it,” Jackley said. “If it doesn’t happen soon, my next avenue is to go directly to the Legislature and ask the governor for an executive order.”

NEWS: South Dakota sees first positive case of 'zombie drug'