The Vuntut Gwitchin are researching the possibility of changing the prohibition law in Old Crow.

A resolution passed at this year's annual general assembly earlier this month reads: "Whereas: prohibition continues to be a high concern for residents of Old Crow; whereas: 25 years have passed since its introduction to Old Crow; whereas: a prohibition review was done in 2008; whereas the majority of the people want to see change....”

It goes on to call on the chief and council to "set up a volunteer committee representative of the community of individuals to research and develop recommendations for changes to the existing prohibition law, within six months of today's date.”

The leadership is then to call a special general assembly to discuss the findings with the community within one year.

The research and review of the issue of prohibition was one of the 11 resolutions passed at the annual general assembly.

Old Crow is a small fly-in community of about 250 people about 800 kilometres northwest of Whitehorse. It is the territory's only dry community, meaning alcohol is prohibited.

In an interview last week, Vuntut Gwitchin Chief Joe Linklater said it was time to take a closer look at that law.

"An entire generation has gone by and I think it is well worth a look at,” he said.

Alcohol was first introduced to the Vuntut Gwitchin in 1960. The law banning alcohol was first enforced in 1991.

Linklater said the First Nation did some early research into possibly changing the law back in 2008. But staff changes at the time meant the issue was left on the back burner.

Linklater said the success of the prohibition has varied.

"I don't think it achieved 100 per cent of what people wanted it to do,” he said. "You can change the law, but there has to be help changing the people too.”

The new committee will research the law and its effectiveness in the community as well as examining what has changed in Old Crow since it was first put in place.

Back in 1993, a dozen Old Crow residents challenged the law in Yukon territorial court. They argued that the regulation, which prohibits the sale, possession, transportation or consumption of alcohol within 100 kilometres of the community, was unconstitutional and outside the jurisdiction of the territorial government.

Chief judge at the time, Heino Lilles rejected the challenge. The judge ruled that consumption of alcohol is not a constitutionally protected right.

He noted that legislatures have the ability to impose restrictions over certain substances such as tobacco and alcohol.

Lilles said that the decision to have a prohibition law came out of a democratic process and therefore should not be struck down lightly.

As for what he thinks the new law could look like, Linklater didn't go into specifics, saying he was looking forward to hearing about the research when it is completed.