Prohibition's 'Dry America': The First Phase
PROHIBITON LEADS TO ORGANIZED CRIME
“Dry America”: The First Phase * The initial impact of the prohibition was what was expected – a decline in drinking. The national consumption of alcohol declined 1 1/4th gallon per capita during the war years. (1921 – 1922). Although alcohol use rose again after the war, it never reached the height it had in the pre-war days. * Alcoholism as a medical problem severely dropped and many hospitals closed their alcoholism wings because of lack of patients. * However, like any law, people got around it by brewing their own liquor. In cities such as Boston and San Francisco the law was never truly enforced. Several states didn’t ratify the 18th amendment. * The upper classes expected the
“Dry America”: The First Phase * The initial impact of the prohibition was what was expected – a decline in drinking. The national consumption of alcohol declined 1 1/4th gallon per capita during the war years. (1921 – 1922). Although alcohol use rose again after the war, it never reached the height it had in the pre-war days. * Alcoholism as a medical problem severely dropped and many hospitals closed their alcoholism wings because of lack of patients. * However, like any law, people got around it by brewing their own liquor. In cities such as Boston and San Francisco the law was never truly enforced. Several states didn’t ratify the 18th amendment. * The upper classes expected the