Walt Lamar: Tribes must develop long-term solutions for drugs

One estimate from the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) is that half the buprenorphine prescribed ends up on the street. An 8 mg Suboxone pill may cost $10-$25 on the street, but will sell for $50-$75 in jail. Postage-stamp sized scraps of sublingual buprenorphine are worth $20 each.

The mentality that leads a person to smuggle drugs using a child's photograph is a problem in itself, but prisoners have other problems to worry about aside from dragging children into the mix. Drug diversion experts point out that using Suboxone without concurrent therapy only maintains an addiction; the drug is approved for recovery only under the supervision of an addiction counselor.

The heroin problem among tribal communities is sadly nothing new. Some tribes have experienced soaring rates of both prescription pill addiction and heroin addiction. Reacting to drug smuggling in tribal jails can be like a game of Whack-a-Mole; desperate people can become very creative in meeting their needs.

Tribes can take several approaches to solving this problem rather than reacting to it. Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts offer offenders options for recovery and restitution in lieu of jail time. Tribal jails can work with behavioral health providers to administer opioid replacement therapy, or to refer inmates to facilities after release. These collaborative approaches may require more effort than simply enacting a ban, but may have better long-term impact on opiate addiction and recidivism in our tribal communities.