Facts about Prohibition

1. 11

   Homemakers legally produced up to 200 gallons of fermented cider and wine annually under Prohibition's exemption for home fermentation, making domestic fruit preservation a widespread loophole in the 1920s.

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2. 10

   Smugglers transported approximately 200 million gallons of alcohol annually across the Canadian border into the United States during the 1920s, with Detroit becoming the primary distribution hub for North American bootleg networks.

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3. 09

   Medicinal alcohol prescriptions written by doctors during Prohibition allowed patients to legally consume whiskey, with physicians issuing over 11 million prescriptions between 1921 and 1930.

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4. 08

   Female speakeasy operators controlled approximately 20 percent of illegal drinking establishments in major American cities during the 1920s, earning substantial incomes as proprietors and managers.

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5. 07

   Between 1920 and 1933, American breweries and distilleries destroyed approximately 590 million gallons of alcohol in compliance with Prohibition mandates before the industry ceased operations.

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6. 06

   Congress passed the 18th Amendment in 1917 with a 65-20 Senate vote, making Prohibition the only constitutional amendment ever to be entirely repealed by another amendment.

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7. 05

   In 1933, when Prohibition ended after 13 years, Americans celebrated by consuming 15 million gallons of alcohol in the first week alone.

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8. 04

   Over 29 million gallons of industrial alcohol were diverted illegally for consumption between 1920 and 1933, making industrial theft a cornerstone of bootleg supply chains.

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9. 03

   The Treasury Department employed 2,836 federal agents by 1930 to enforce Prohibition across the entire United States, yet illegal speakeasies still numbered around 100,000 in New York City alone.

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10. 02

    Al Capone's bootlegging operation in Chicago generated approximately 60 million dollars annually by 1927, making him one of America's wealthiest criminals.

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11. 01

    During the 1920s, the Volstead Act enforcement led to approximately 2,300 deaths annually from poisoned bootleg alcohol containing methanol and other toxic additives.

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