RIO GRANDE COUNTY — Rio Grande County Sheriff Anne Robinson is implementing a new program and is paving the way for the future use of this program in other Valley facilities. Beginning a few months ago, Robinson was approached by a vendor of synthetic nicotine packets and began offering the product to inmates of the Rio Grande County jail.

There are several reasons behind the use of the program at the jail, the first and foremost being to curb addiction withdrawals in inmates and to hopefully reduce the number of violent outbursts from inmates who are suffering from addiction.

“I was approached by a vendor about offering synthetic nicotine packets as part of our commissary program and we considered what the benefits would be, and I considered the drawbacks as well. It's always a double-edged sword when you make those kinds of decisions,” said Robinson.

One of the largest hurdles for the department was that they would be the first in the state to sell the synthetic nicotine in their jail system. Having nothing to base the results of the program off, Robinson decided to give it a try and so far, the program is going well.

“I explored through the Attorney General’s Office and our county attorney to see if we are violating any laws by doing this, because tobacco products are prohibited in the jail but because these are synthetic nicotine, they do not fall under the definition of tobacco,” Robinson said.

After receiving the necessary approval, Robinson put the packets on commissary and the results have been successful.

“I went back and talked to the inmates as well. I made it clear that if this was offered, they needed to understand that if there are any violations, this would be the first thing to go,” explained Robinson.

The product is not permitted for any person under the age of 20 and other inmates who have access to the synthetic nicotine sign contracts stating that they will not share the product with any other inmate while incarcerated.

The sheriff’s office does receive some revenue from the sale of the packets which goes toward equipment and training for Robinson’s department. The packets are small, cloth bound packets with eight grams of synthetic nicotine in each packet, which according to Robinson is slightly higher than other retailers.

“So far, we have had one minor violation and we haven’t had any problems since,” she said.

Robinson is now receiving inquiries from other facilities throughout the San Luis Valley that are considering the use of the program.

“I think they are waiting to see how we do with this, but they are interested, and we are the first to bring this type of product to commissary in the Valley if not the state,” Robinson said.

The department also provides addiction counseling to every person who comes and goes from the jail and provides Narcan to people suffering from addiction when they leave in hopes they may save their life or the life of someone they know when they are released back to the community. Robinson stated that the Narcan being offered now is stronger than previous doses due to the strength of the drugs some of the people are addicted to.

In addition to the synthetic nicotine program, Robinson has also reduced the price of meals served at the jail by a dollar and hasn’t had to cut nutritional benefits by doing so.

“Most of the meals are made from scratch,” Robinson said. “Our kitchen staff do a wonderful job and the people suffering from incarceration eat well here. We were able to cut costs from $3.38 per meal to $2.43 per meal and that makes a huge difference.”

The Rio Grande County Sheriff’s Office is also hiring. Robinson stated that the open positions come with opportunities to train, equipment needed, and uniforms as well as a chance to go to law enforcement academy if someone wants to pursue a career in law enforcement.

“I really appreciate the support of the community and to invite them in to see us,” she said. “We may not always be available to talk, but we will make time as soon as we can. We are here to serve, and our main focus is on caring, commitment and community.”