Methamphetamine Emergency Declared on Wind River Reservation
Written by Andrew-Rossi on March 2, 2020
The Northern Arapahoe Tribe declares a State of Emergency.
In a formal resolution from the Northern Arapaho Tribal leaders and elders, they acknowledged and condemned the distribution and abuse of methamphetamine. The entire country is seeing an influx of methamphetamine abuse at epidemic proportions. The Reservation announced the formation of a tribal task force.
Mark A. Klaassen, U.S. Attorney, issued a state on the tribe’s resolution. He elaborated in a press release, saying that “we must address the problem from all sides and understand the root causes. All of us must work to create strong families, communities, schools and other social structures that provide positive environments – places that encourage drug resistance and provide paths to economic opportunity. We also need effective social services, mental health, and addiction recovery programs to help those who seek a path out of addiction toward a more productive life.”
The State intends to work with the Northern Arapahoe to continue investigating drug traffickers and ensure they receive felony convictions, which have increased significantly on the reservation in recent years.
