Only in America

[orangeman]

US tribe sues beer makers for $500m over alcohol abuse


The Oglala Sioux Tribe are asking for $500m (£316m) for healthcare, social services and child rehabilitation.

Tribal elders say the lawsuit is a last resort after efforts to curb abuse through protests and policy failed.

On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation one in four children suffers foetal disorders caused by alcohol abuse.

The lawsuit, filed in the district court of Nebraska, targets Anheuser-Busch InBev Worldwide, SAB Miller, Molson Coors Brewing Company, MillerCoors LLC, and Pabst Brewing Company.

There was no immediate response from those firms.

The lawsuit also names the nearby town of Whiteclay, Nebraska, which has four beer shops that sold nearly five million beer cans in 2010 despite having only about a dozen residents.

Alcohol is outlawed on the reservation and the nearest town which allows alcohol is 20 miles (32km) away, Mark Vasina, president of Nebraskans for Peace, told the Associated Press news agency.

The lawsuit alleges that beer makers and the shop owners knew the alcohol would be smuggled into the reservation for consumption or resale.

The legal documents allege: "The illegal sale and trade in alcohol in Whiteclay is open, notorious and well documented by news reports, legislative hearings, movies, public protests and law enforcement activities."

Meanwhile, Tom White, the lawyer representing the tribe, told the Associated Press news agency: "You cannot sell 4.9 million 12oz [356ml] cans of beer and wash your hands like Pontius Pilate, and say we've got nothing to do with it being smuggled."


The town of Whiteclay, Nebraska, has four beer shops The reservation has grappled with alcohol problems and poverty for generations, and the tribal council has said it hopes the case will help protect the community's youth.

"Like American parents everywhere, we will do everything lawful we can to protect the health, welfare and future of our children," Tribal President John Yellow Bird Steele told the Associated Press news agency.

The reservation, which is about the size of the state of Connecticut, includes Shannon County, the third poorest county in the US.

The median income in the area is $27,300 and almost half of the population is considered to be living below federal poverty standards.

The life expectancy in the community is between 45 and 52 years - the lowest in North America except Haiti - and far below the national average of 77.5 years.

Nebraska State Senator LeRoy Louden has said that after struggling with the problem for years, the state has introduced legislation that would impose restrictions - on the types of alcohol that can be sold and business hours.

[thejuice]

"Only in America"

Well where else would you get the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Unless they heard about the buffalo herds of Curragha.

[Benny Sweeney]

how can 12 people drink 5 million cans of beer per year?

[Tony Baloney]

Is a similar lawsuit Ireland's way out of austerity?

[mannix]

Well, the white monster done a lot more harm to them than sell them alcohol. They would open a huge case if they sought money for the murder of their ancestors and the theft of their land.

[Bingo]

You'd imagine if they win the 500m claim that the 4shops in that town may build warehouses to cope with the demand if its already at 5m cans per year and them with no money 

[Maiden1]

5 million cans between 12 people in a year, so that would be 1141 cans per day per person  , no wonder the children have foetal disorders.

[Puckoon]

"Only in America"

Well where else would you get the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Unless they heard about the buffalo herds of Curragha.

Brilliant. 

The Native American alcoholism is startling. If the meth ever gets a hold of them that will be the final nail in the coffin.

[AZOffaly]

5 million cans between 12 people in a year, so that would be 1141 cans per day per person  , no wonder the children have foetal disorders.

Erm, I think you're missing the point.  Reservations are not allowed have liquor or beer sold on them. Therefore the Sioux in this case are obviously hitting up the nearby town, which is not on the reservation.

The 5 million cans sold, despite the town having only 12 residents, is basically saying that all 5 million cans are going into the reservation. I'm sure there's more than 12 Sioux on the reservation..

[Rossfan]

"Only in America"

Well where else would you get the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Unless they heard about the buffalo herds of Curragha.

Brilliant. 


The Native American alcoholism is startling. If the meth ever gets a hold of them that will be the final nail in the coffin.

Their whole way of life , culture , religion, lands etc were all taken off them and they were herded onto reservations - for the Plains natives all hqppened in a 20 year period.
Drinking took the place of the new emptiness that had taken over their lives

[Puckoon]

I never said that.