History
Famous Prohibitions in History
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Updated:4/9/2026
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Prohibition↕ | Country↕ | Period↕ | Banned Item↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Prohibition (Volstead Act) | United States | 1920-1933 | Alcohol | 18th Amendment, Al Capone bootlegging, speakeasies, repealed by 21st Amendment |
| Iran Alcohol Ban | Iran | 1979-present | Alcohol | Islamic Revolution imposition, underground homemade arak, floggings for offenders |
| Bhutan Tobacco Ban | Bhutan | 2004-2021 | Tobacco sales | First country to ban tobacco sales, 200% import tax, lifted during COVID |
| Saudi Cinema Ban | Saudi Arabia | 1983-2018 | Public cinemas | 35-year ban lifted under Crown Prince MBS, opened with Black Panther screening |
| Russian Vodka Monopoly/Ban | Russian Empire/USSR | 1914-1925 | Vodka sales | Nicholas II wartime ban, Bolshevik continuation, bankrupted treasury |
| Singapore Chewing Gum Ban | Singapore | 1992-present | Chewing gum sales | Lee Kuan Yew's cleanliness crusade, relaxed for medicinal gum in 2004 |
| Ottoman Coffee Ban | Ottoman Empire | 1633 | Coffee | Sultan Murad IV banned coffee, tobacco, alcohol on pain of death, fear of sedition |
| Chinese Opium Ban | Qing China | 1729-1912 | Opium | Led to First Opium War 1839, Treaty of Nanking, Hong Kong cession |
| Finland Alcohol Prohibition | Finland | 1919-1932 | Alcohol | Overturned by referendum, spurred Alko state monopoly model |
| Taliban Music Ban | Afghanistan | 1996-2001, 2021-present | Music, TV, female education | Destroyed instruments, banned television, removed music from public life |
| North Korea Foreign Media Ban | North Korea | 1948-present | Foreign media, internet | One of world's strictest info controls, smuggled K-dramas punished in labor camps |
| India Beef Ban (states) | India | 1976-present (varies) | Cow slaughter | State-level bans, Maharashtra and UP strictest, lynching incidents |
| Norway Prohibition | Norway | 1916-1927 | Spirits and fortified wine | Wine trade disputes with France, Portugal forced partial rollback |
| Canada Provincial Prohibition | Canada | 1901-1948 (varies) | Alcohol | PEI first province 1901, Quebec never fully banned, bootlegging to US |
| Japan Firearms Ban (Edo) | Japan | 1588-1854 | Civilian firearms and swords | Toyotomi Hideyoshi's sword hunt, rare voluntary de-gunning of society |
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