KESHENA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Menominee Indian Tribe is taking steps to combat drug use and addiction in the community.
Tribal leaders say there were around 70 overdoses on the reservation in the last three months.
Menominee Tribal Legislator Myrna Warrington knows what it’s like to lose someone to drugs.
“I lost a daughter to drugs. I lost a grandson to drugs. I wish I knew 9 years ago what I know now. They would still be here with me. This is what I’m trying to prevent with our other families in our community. It’s to stop the deaths so people don’t have to have this pain. This loneliness, guilt,” Warrington said.
Tribal leaders from across the state are working to help combat this problem.
The Menominee Tribe says it had about 4 drug-related deaths this year.
Heroin, meth, and fentanyl are all causes for concern.
The tribe hopes to address some of these issues at a community meeting on Saturday.
“We’re not going to go in with an agenda, we want to go in, we want to listen to our community members, we want to listen to our community, and then utilizing what we learn and what we gather. Then we start putting a plan together,” Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Chairman Ron Corn said.
Tribal leaders also recently updated the tribe’s drug ordinance.
If someone is caught selling drugs on the reservation and they’re charged and sentenced, they could be banished from the reservation for an extended period of time, or for life.
“Hopefully these dealers will see what’s going on and maybe we can get this totally off the reservation and protect our families. It’s a prayer we do every morning. It’s to protect our families from this type of thing. Alcohol and drugs,” Warrington said.
Tribal leaders say the way to fight this is education… educating the community on the consequences of doing drugs.
Menominee tribal leaders say there will also be resources available at the community meeting on Saturday for anyone who might be struggling.
Due to COVID-19, they’re encouraging tribal members to attend by Zoom.
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