One of the most enduring lessons of American history is that the banning of liquor sales and consumption (“the noble experiment”) was a colossal failure. Drinking didn’t go down much, but the profits ended up going not to legitimate businesses but bootleggers and the mob, while the murder rate soared to all-time highs in American history. It was the policy that made America’s most famous gangster, Al Capone, famous — and rich.

I was reminded of this when I saw recently that the Biden administration’s Food and Drug Administration wants to ban menthol cigarettes. Menthol flavorings account for approximately 37% of cigarette sales. That demand will not disappear but it will be driven underground, creating more significant risks to consumers.

Ninety years after the failure of Prohibition, we are going to try it again with smokers. Ironically, many of the same liberals who campaigned for three decades for the legalization of marijuana and other soft drugs (something I generally support) now want to effectively ban smoking.

Updated: Tue Nov 07, 2023