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hahahahhaahtoday at 4:31 AM3 repliesview on HN

I think broadly prohibition didn't work but smoking bans do. Where "work" means fewer people smoke and passive smoke.


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thinkingemotetoday at 11:52 AM

Alcohol prohibition did actually work.

It reduced the amount of people who drank and it increased health. It increased safety for women and children and reduced violent crime on the streets and in the home. It reduced alcohol related diseases and death. People missed less work. Like with passive smoking, a ban on alcohol positively affects non-drinkers too.

It was the organised crime side effects and societal unpopularity which lead to it's "failure". Alcohol prohibition continues to work in some countries today but I wouldn't want to live there.

Ultimately it's a bio-ethics and freedom issue, issues that continue to raise their head from time to time here and there, e.g. coronavirus responses.

Control of vaping could also be classed in this category.

tayo42today at 7:38 AM

If that's how you you define work, prohibition worked.

parineumtoday at 4:41 AM

Prohibition works to stop some people.

It doesn't stop addicts from craving and it doesn't curb the appeal of the product. People who think tobacco/nicotine bans would work are people who think they don't have any positive effect associated with them.

People don't smoke because the evil cigarette companies tricked them and now they are addicted. It's a drug, it feels good to do it.

A tobacco/nicotine ban will end up exactly like aby other recreational drug prohibition.

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