South Dakota Cannabis User Credits Plant With Addiction Recovery

A South Dakota resident is speaking out about using cannabis to overcome substance addiction—in a state where marijuana remains fully illegal and law enforcement continues aggressive enforcement.

The individual's account, shared publicly through High Times, details how cannabis became a critical tool in breaking free from harder substance dependencies and rebuilding a creative life. The story arrives as South Dakota remains one of just three states with no legal cannabis access whatsoever, despite voters approving medical marijuana in 2020 before courts struck it down on technical grounds.

"Cannabis kept me alive," the author writes, describing the plant's role in managing withdrawal symptoms and providing an alternative to pharmaceutical interventions that had previously failed.

The South Dakota Context

South Dakota's cannabis landscape remains uniquely restrictive. Governor Kristi Noem has actively opposed legalization efforts, and state law enforcement continues to arrest residents for possession. In 2022 alone, South Dakota recorded over 3,800 marijuana arrests—a rate of 4.2 arrests per 1,000 residents, among the highest in the nation.

The state's Supreme Court invalidated Amendment A, a 2020 voter-approved measure that would have legalized adult-use cannabis, ruling it violated the state constitution's single-subject rule. A separate medical marijuana initiative passed the same year but faced implementation delays and restrictive regulations that have limited patient access.

Market watchers note the tension between public support—both measures passed with over 50% voter approval—and political resistance creates what advocates call a "cannabis refugee" phenomenon, where residents either risk criminalization or relocate to neighboring states with legal programs.

Recovery and Cannabis Research

The personal account aligns with emerging research on cannabis as a harm reduction tool. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs found that 41% of medical cannabis patients reported reducing or eliminating opioid use after starting cannabis therapy. Additional research from Columbia University showed cannabis users had lower rates of prescription drug misuse compared to non-users.

Dr. Yasmin Hurd, director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai, has documented CBD's potential in reducing drug cravings and anxiety in people recovering from opioid addiction. "The evidence base is growing," Hurd said in recent congressional testimony, "but patients in prohibition states have no legal access to these potential therapeutic benefits."

The author's experience—using cannabis to manage both physical withdrawal and the creative stagnation that accompanied addiction—reflects anecdotal reports from recovery communities nationwide. But in South Dakota, such use carries felony charges for anything beyond minimal amounts.

What's Next

Advocates plan another legalization push for 2024, though they face the same political headwinds that have blocked previous efforts. South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws is collecting signatures for a new adult-use initiative, hoping to craft language that survives judicial scrutiny.

Meanwhile, the state's limited medical program—which finally launched in 2022 after two years of delays—serves fewer than 2,000 patients. Qualifying conditions are restrictive, and the application process remains cumbersome enough that many potential patients avoid it entirely.

For cannabis users crediting the plant with saving their lives, the legal risk remains constant. Possession of two ounces or less is a misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Larger amounts trigger felony charges.

The personal narrative published this week adds a human dimension to policy debates often dominated by statistics and legal arguments. As other states expand access and research continues documenting therapeutic applications, South Dakota's prohibition looks increasingly isolated—and for residents like the author, increasingly unjust.

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This article is based on original reporting by hightimes.com.