The hottest Prohibition Substack posts right now

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There is No Ideal Drug Policy

Freddie deBoer • 3310 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy Prohibition Criminal Justice Public Health Political Ideology
  1. There is no perfect solution for drug policy because people will always seek out drugs, and some might suffer serious consequences from their choices. It's important to accept that addiction and tragedy can happen, regardless of the laws in place.
  2. Efforts to decriminalize drugs often come with challenges, but reverting to strict prohibition has historically failed and leads to more harm than good. Enforcing harsh penalties on the drug trade can result in a cycle of injustice and social problems.
  3. The idea that every issue has a simple solution can be misleading. Sometimes, trying to fix a complex problem like drug use with quick fixes can create more issues rather than resolving the existing ones.

America's First Drug Cartel Was Not Colombian or Mexican; It Was The Italian-Jewish Mob

CrashOut by Ioan Grillo • 766 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
💾 History Organized Crime Drug Trafficking Prohibition
  1. America's first drug cartel was built by Italian-Jewish mobsters, not Colombian or Mexican cartels.
  2. The mobsters in the US were heavily involved in narcotics despite the glamorized image of mafia dons being focused on honor rather than drug trafficking.
  3. Homegrown criminals from Italian, Jewish, and Irish backgrounds set the foundation for drug trafficking in the US, paving the way for later cartels like Colombians and Mexicans.

Chapters 4 and 5: "Open Fire on the Enemy" & Triumphant Failure

Fisted by Foucault • 44 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💾 History Prohibition
  1. The Temperance Movement faced challenges due to the significant revenue the US government derived from taxes on alcohol, making it a tough battle to ban alcohol sales.
  2. A coalition of various groups, including racists, progressives, suffragists, populists, and nativists, contributed to the popularization of the Temperance Movement.
  3. The push for a National Income Tax by progressives and prohibitionists played a vital role in advancing the cause for Prohibition, culminating in a significant petition presented to Congress.

On the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 09 May 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Prohibition History Constitution
  1. Prohibition was a failure because the 18th Amendment didn't enforce itself and left too much up to Congress. Without clear penalties, it was hard to expect compliance from people.
  2. The Volstead Act tried to define what types of alcohol to ban, but it opened up lots of loopholes and made it difficult to enforce. This made many groups find ways around the law, which weakened the whole idea of Prohibition.
  3. People didn't fully support Prohibition, so even if the laws were perfect, they wouldn't work. This shows that for social changes to succeed, strong belief and support are crucial along with solid laws.
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