On the other side of the world here and the hotels in South Australia stopped serving alcohol at 6pm between 1915 and 1967. Did wonders for our binge drinking culture. People would race to the hotel after work to down as many beers as quickly as possible in what used to be called the 6 o’clock swill. A typical bar was very long to accommodate so many orders in a short time and tiled to deal with all the spills. People passed out in the streets at 6pm from a big nights drinking. The legal system is a very blunt instrument for changing human behavior with often unintended consequences.
Perhaps a worse vice in terms of societal harm currently is the gambling industry which is massive and growing and its just such an obvious scam and abuse by some of the most unethical and evil businesses around outside arms and human trafficking.
Before prohibition, brewers would offer free lunches to thousands of factory workers and many would spend their entire paycheck. It was really out of control.
IMO the big difference with gambling versus the other vices is how quickly it can ruin you. Most people take years before alcohol or cigarettes take their toll. Gambling you can ruin your life in an evening.
On the other side of the world here and the hotels in South Australia stopped serving alcohol at 6pm between 1915 and 1967. Did wonders for our binge drinking culture. People would race to the hotel after work to down as many beers as quickly as possible in what used to be called the 6 o’clock swill. A typical bar was very long to accommodate so many orders in a short time and tiled to deal with all the spills. People passed out in the streets at 6pm from a big nights drinking. The legal system is a very blunt instrument for changing human behavior with often unintended consequences.
Perhaps a worse vice in terms of societal harm currently is the gambling industry which is massive and growing and its just such an obvious scam and abuse by some of the most unethical and evil businesses around outside arms and human trafficking.
Before prohibition, brewers would offer free lunches to thousands of factory workers and many would spend their entire paycheck. It was really out of control.
IMO the big difference with gambling versus the other vices is how quickly it can ruin you. Most people take years before alcohol or cigarettes take their toll. Gambling you can ruin your life in an evening.