"The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe is bucking a statewide trend. While many communities are examining alcohol sales as a community development tool, the tribe has banned alcohol sales from the 132,000-acre reservation south of Pierre.

Tribal Chairman Michael Jandreau said he has seen too much alcohol abuse and “couldn’t be part of that anymore.”

Alcohol is a tool — it can either promote or hinder development. On the reservation it carries more serious consequences but a ban fails to solve the alcohol abuse issues and only steals an economic development tool from business leaders.

We certainly commend the tribe on the difficult decision it has made, but banning alcohol won’t likely get them closer to their goal.

The Lower Brule ban may have cost the Golden Buffalo Resort and Casino $108,000 in play revenue and $10,000 in bar sales compared to last year. July numbers were also down.

Likely it would have been wiser to promote the casino, generate revenue and invest in long-term solutions — treatment centers, youth programs — to the problems that plague the area."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Alcohol ban won't solve problem (The Rapid City Journal 8/21)

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Lower Brule Sioux Tribe bans liquor sales (8/17)