Lower Brule Sioux Tribe bans liquor sales
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota banned the sale of liquor on the reservation in hopes of stemming alcohol abuse.

Chairman Mike Jandreau led the push for the ban, which took effect in May. "I have watched too many people die," he told The Sioux Falls Argus Leader. "I had my own relatives die in my arms, die of alcohol abuse."

The ban is controversial. Jandreau acknowledges it will lead to a decline in business at the tribal casino -- revenues for June already showed a drop in gaming play and alcohol sales.

The tribe used to charge fees for liquor licenses but Jandreau said the system was unworkable.

Get the Story:
Lower Brule Bans Booze Sales (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 8/16)
Stopping the flow will be hard, some say (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 8/16)
Editorial: Lower Brule experiment on alcohol worth trying (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 8/16)