90 Years Since the Repeal of Prohibition!!

On December 5, 1933 at 5:32 PM, Prohibition was finally repealed, putting an end to most temperance activism in the U.S. and soon revitalizing the country's economy.

Over the centuries there have been organized efforts in the U.S. to stop or restrict alcohol consumption. In the 18th century, one of the most notable personalities in the temperance movement was Dr. Benjamin Rush, a physician and America's first surgeon general.

Rush spoke of the important effects of "ardent spirits" on the newly independent nation. He argued that alcohol consumption was the cause of crime, stomach and liver disease, and nerves leading to insanity and even death. His numerous writings called for a distinction between distilled spirits and any other form of alcohol, which Rush agreed could be consumed in moderation. On the other hand, he supported the taxation of distilled spirits and the regulation of taverns in the post-Revolutionary period.

Alcohol was a mainstay of America, and in 1810 it was estimated that 21 million gallons of alcohol were consumed annually, about 7 gallons per capita. Alcoholism was out of control, as men spent all their time and money in taverns. Domestic violence and abuse were at an all-time high; change was urgently needed.

The temperance movement seized the moment and began to mobilize and form new associations to promote their cause of total abstinence from alcohol. Citizens signed pledges of total abstinence, while others only stopped drinking spirits.

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union began to become increasingly involved in politics, advocating not only for Prohibition, but also for women's suffrage, reforms, child labor and public health laws, among others, which gave them visibility and authority and, after some 50 years of advocacy, the 18th Amendment was ratified.

In January 1920, the Prohibition Act went into effect, prohibiting the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages, but not their consumption. The fight was against the alcohol industry, not against consumers, as they thought they would stop drinking for the sake of the World War I effort. But this "noble experiment" was a complete failure, and the same people who initially called for Prohibition were now calling for its repeal. Crime, public drunkenness and deaths from alcoholism were again at an all-time high, as was the urgency to protect children from alcohol, as there were no age limits or regulations around consumption.

The stock market crash and the ensuing Depression was another important reason for ending Prohibition, the revitalization of the alcohol industry allowed for more alcohol tax revenue as well as great employment opportunities from distilleries and breweries to barrels, label makers, bottle makers, cork makers, distribution, and all aspects of the industry.

On December 5, 1933 at 5:32 pm Prohibition was repealed establishing regulations on alcohol sales, legal drinking age, taxation, and drunk driving laws. Although temperance activism ended with the repeal of Prohibition, its ideology awakened an awareness of alcohol abuse as a medical and therapeutic problem that led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935.

Fun fact: there is a belief that cocktails were created during Prohibition, when the quality of alcohol was so bad that the only way to drink it was mixed with juices or soft drinks.

Today there is a shift in the way people drink alcohol in the United States and around the world. People are drinking more quality than quantity, at least most people. There is an appreciation of alcohol; whether it's spirits, wine, beer or cocktails. The consumer wants to understand what they're tasting, how it's made, where it comes from? It's a positive mindset towards health and thoughtfulness around alcohol consumption, to the point where the whole market for non-alcoholic beverages is growing exponentially.

But today is about celebrating the 90th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition and, why not, celebrating the laws that were put in place to bring order and raise awareness about the importance of learning to enjoy alcohol in a healthy way. After all, we've come a long way. Cheers to that!!

What are you toasting with today?