Prohibition

Prohibition is when a law makes something not allowed. Most often, people talk about prohibition when making, storing, moving, selling, owning, and drinking alcohol was banned. This happened in the United States during the early 1900s.

The ban on alcohol started because many people worried about problems from drinking too much. They were concerned about fights, accidents, and families having trouble because of alcohol. Because of these worries, the government passed a law called the 18th Amendment in 1919. This made it illegal to make or sell alcoholic drinks.

This period of prohibition lasted for about 13 years, until 1933. Then the government changed the law. They realized that banning alcohol wasn’t working well and that many bad things happened because of the ban, like illegal bars and crime groups. The end of prohibition was an important moment in American history and showed how laws can sometimes have unexpected results.

History

Some early rules about alcohol were made thousands of years ago. For example, an ancient set of laws called the Code of Hammurabi said beer could only be traded for barley, not money. Later, a Greek city called Eleutherna made a law against drunkenness, except during religious events.

In the early 1900s, many people wanted to stop alcohol use because of strong moral beliefs. Some women, who had just gained the right to vote, supported these ideas. Several countries tried banning alcohol for a time. For example, the United States had a nationwide ban called Prohibition from 1920 to 1933. Other places like Canada, Finland, and Iceland also had their own periods of prohibition.

These bans often failed because people still wanted alcohol. Some began to smuggle it in secretly. After a few years, most countries ended their bans, though a few still have restrictions today.

Effects

Prohibition, or banning alcohol by law, often doesn’t work very well. When alcohol is banned, people usually find ways to get it illegally instead. Many countries where people don’t drink for religious reasons still find it hard to stop everyone from having alcohol. Because of this, most countries that have tried to stop alcohol completely have later allowed it again. For example, both the United States and the Soviet Union banned alcohol completely but changed their minds after less than 15 years.

Prohibition worldwide

Africa

Nigeria

In the British colony of Nigeria, missionary forces asked to stop people from drinking liquor. This was not popular. Both Africans and British found secret ways to get alcohol, like hidden places to make it and special permits. This tried to stop alcohol began in 1890 and ended in 1939.

South Africa

During the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, selling and moving alcohol outside homes was made illegal. This started during a nationwide lockdown on March 27, 2020. The goal was to prevent fights, reduce harm in homes, stop drunk driving, and stop heavy drinking on weekends. Police and experts think alcohol is linked to many emergencies in hospitals. The ban on alcohol aimed to reduce hospital cases and slow the spread of the virus. A study in 2022 found that this ban reduced injuries and violent crime.

South Asia

Afghanistan

Selling alcohol is illegal in Afghanistan.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, alcohol is somewhat stopped due to Islamic beliefs. However, the Garo tribe drinks a type of rice beer, and Christians can buy and drink wine for holy events.

India

In India, alcohol rules are different in each state. Most states allow selling alcohol, but some, like Mizoram, Gujarat, Bihar, and Nagaland, have prohibition. Election days and some national holidays are "dry days" with no selling of liquor, though people can still drink. Some states also have dry days for big religious events.

Maldives

The Maldives ban bringing in alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are only for foreign tourists on resort islands and cannot be taken off the resort.

Pakistan

Pakistan allowed free selling of alcohol from 1947 until 1977. Now, only some groups like Hindus, Christians, and Zoroastrians can ask for permits to buy alcohol. The amount allowed depends on income. Only about 60 places sell alcohol. The Murree Brewery in Rawalpindi was once the only legal brewery, but there are more now. The ban is enforced by the country's Islamic Ideology Council but not strictly followed.

Sri Lanka

In 1955, Sri Lanka passed a law stopping adult women from buying alcohol. In 2018, a plan to change this law was announced, but the president said no.

West Asia

Iran

Since 1979, Muslims are not allowed to sell or drink alcohol, but some trade and sell it secretly. Making alcohol at home by some groups like Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians is legal.

Kuwait

Having, bringing in, making, and trading liquor is against the law.

Saudi Arabia

The sale, having, bringing in, making, and trading of liquor is against the law.

Yemen

Alcohol is banned in Yemen.

Southeast Asia

Brunei

In Brunei, selling and having alcohol in public is banned. Non-Muslims can bring a small amount of alcohol from overseas for private use. Non-Muslims aged 18 or older can bring in up to two bottles of liquor and twelve cans of beer per person.

Indonesia

Selling alcohol is banned in small shops and convenience stores.

Korea

During the Joseon period, laws against drinking alcohol were made during dry times, when crops failed, or during famines to save resources. Bans were common during King Taejong's time and often during the reigns of Kings Seongjong and Yeonsangun. Another ban happened in 1758 during King Yeongjo's reign. These bans usually happened in spring and summer during severe droughts.

Malaysia

Alcohol is banned for Muslims due to Islamic law. However, alcoholic products are found in supermarkets, specialty shops, and convenience stores. Non-halal restaurants also typically sell alcohol.

Philippines

Selling alcohol is stopped during elections. It cannot be sold or had the day before and on election day. Hotels and restaurants can get special rules but only to serve non-Filipino citizens. Private drinking of saved alcohol is allowed. The Commission on Elections can extend the ban, as suggested in the 2013 elections to five days, but this was turned down by the Supreme Court. Outside of elections, alcohol is sold freely to anyone above the legal drinking age.

Thailand

Selling alcohol is banned during elections from the evening before voting until the end of voting day. Alcohol is also banned on big Buddhist holy days and sometimes on royal days to remember people. Thailand has daily time limits on selling alcohol, allowing buying only between 11:00 and midnight. The law is followed by sellers but often not by small stores. Hotels and resorts are allowed. Drinking is banned within 200 meters of gas stations, schools, temples, or hospitals, and on any road vehicle. During events like Thai New Year, the government may ban alcohol sales in some public areas with big crowds. Thailand strictly controls alcohol advertising under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of 2008, and selling via online channels is not allowed.

Europe

Czech Republic

In September 2012, the Czech Republic banned selling alcoholic drinks with more than 20% alcohol because of methanol poisoning cases that killed people. The ban lasted until October 2012.

Nordic countries

The Nordic countries, except Denmark, have had strong groups against alcohol since the late 1800s. Sweden had a system to limit alcohol from 1914 to 1955. Iceland stopped alcohol completely in 1915, allowed wine in 1922 and spirits in 1935, but beer was banned until 1989. Norway stopped distilled drinks in 1916 and extended the ban to fortified wine and beer in 1917; these bans were stopped in the 1920s. Finland stopped alcohol in 1919, but this was stopped in 1932 after public opposition and more crime.

Today, Nordic countries except Denmark have strict rules on selling alcohol, with government control in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. Greenland, part of Denmark, has high alcohol prices and limits on bringing alcohol in.

Russian Empire and the Soviet Union

In the Russian Empire, a limited law to stop alcohol was started in 1914, continuing through the Russian Revolution and Civil War into the Soviet Union until 1925.

United Kingdom

The UK has never had a nationwide stop on alcohol, though groups like the Society of Friends, The Methodist Church, and groups against alcohol have asked for it. The village of Bournville remains without alcohol due to its founder's beliefs. The United Kingdom Alliance formed in 1853 to promote stopping alcohol but faced opposition. Edwin Scrymgeour, who wanted to stop alcohol, was the only MP elected on that idea, serving Dundee from 1922 to 1931.

North America

Canada

Indigenous peoples in Canada were stopped from having alcohol under the Indian Act of 1876, until 1985. Canada had a vote on stopping alcohol in 1898 but chose rules for each area. National stopping of alcohol lasted from 1918 to 1920 as a wartime measure. Areas mostly stopped their laws in the 1920s, though some local areas still do not allow alcohol.

Mexico

Some areas in Chiapas, controlled by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, stop alcohol to reduce harm in homes, though this is not recognized by federal law. Selling alcohol is prohibited on and the night before national holidays and presidential elections.

United States

Stopping alcohol in the United States focused on making, moving, and selling alcoholic drinks, with exceptions for medicine and religious uses. Nationwide stopping of alcohol began in January 1920 with the Eighteenth Amendment, ratified in 1919, and stopped in 1933 with the Twenty-first Amendment. Worry over alcohol began in the colonial era, with fines for drunken behavior. The movement against alcohol grew in the 19th century, with groups like the Women's Crusade and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union organizing women, and the Anti-Saloon League leading to a constitutional change. By 1913, nine states had stopped alcohol, and 31 had rules for local areas. The Eighteenth Amendment passed Congress in 1917 and was ratified in 1919. The Volstead Act put it into law in 1919, and stopping alcohol began on January 16, 1920.

Illegal making and selling of alcohol grew, with crime groups like Al Capone in Chicago and Lucky Luciano in New York City making money from it. Stopping alcohol lost support during the Great Depression, and it was stopped with the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933. States were allowed to make their own alcohol rules. Federal laws still control alcohol with rules, taxes, and enforcement by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Between 1832 and 1953, federal law stopped selling alcohol to Native Americans, with some success. After 1953, Native American areas could make their own rules. Today, some U.S. areas are "dry," not allowing or limiting selling alcohol.

South America

Venezuela

Twenty-four hours before every election, Venezuela stops selling alcohol nationwide to reduce traffic accidents during Holy Week.

Oceania

Australia

The Australian Capital Territory was the first to have laws stopping alcohol in 1911, stopped after a vote in 1928. Some states and local areas have places where alcohol can only be had in places with licenses. More recently, alcohol is stopped in many remote areas where Indigenous people live to prevent harm, with big punishments for bringing alcohol into these areas.

New Zealand

Stopping alcohol began in the mid-1880s by Protestant churches and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. It never stopped alcohol nationwide. Votes in the 1910s and 1920s failed, though a 6 pm closing hour for pubs and closing on Sunday stayed until 1967. Individual towns or areas could vote to be "dry," like Invercargill from 1907 to 1943. The last dry area is run by a licensing trust, allowing selling alcohol only in bars and liquor stores, not supermarkets. Stopping alcohol led to making alcohol secretly, famously in the Hokonui Hills near Gore.

Elections

In many places, selling alcohol is not allowed before and during elections. This rule is called a Ley Seca or "dry law" in some countries. It helps people vote calmly and safely.