List of countries with alcohol prohibition

The following countries or territories have or had comprehensive prohibitions against alcohol. Particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Present

Currently, alcohol prohibition is enforced in many Muslim majority countries, in parts of India, and in some Indigenous American and Indigenous Australian communities and certain northern communities in the Canadian territories. ^[1] They can range from complete ban all the way to bans on sales during certain times. ^[2]

•   Afghanistan ^[3]
•   Algeria (illegal in public, legal in restaurants, bars, hotels and homes) ^[4]
•   Bangladesh (license required; illegal during Ramadan) ^[5]
•   Brunei (Non-Muslims over 17 years of age may have a limited amount of alcohol, but must declare it to the customs authorities on arrival, and must consume it in private) ^[6]
•   Canada
  •   Yukon (in some communities)^{[ citation needed ]}
  •   Northwest Territories (in some communities) ^[1]
  •   Nunavut (in some communities) ^[7]
  •   Quebec (in some communities) ^[8]
•   Chile (prohibited in public places, except for bars and restaurants. Sale is banned countrywide on election days) ^[9]
•   Comoros (for Muslims during Ramadan) ^[10]
•   Djibouti ^{[ citation needed ]}
•   Egypt illegal to drink in public places and during Ramadan.
•   India ^[11]
  •   Gujarat ^[12]
  •   Bihar
  •   Nagaland
  •   Mizoram ^{[13] [14]}
•   Indonesia (  Aceh province only; public consumption illegal, allowance in certain cases for Non-Muslims and foreign tourists that drink in private) ^{[15] [16] [17]}
•   Iran (home production legal for Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians; commercial production illegal) ^[18]
•   Iraq (parliamentary ban, rarely enforced) ^[19]
•   Ireland (selling in stores between 10 p.m. and 10:30 a.m (12:30 p.m. on Sundays) is illegal, pubs are confined to set hours for sale of alcohol) ^[20]
•   Israel (selling in stores between 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. is illegal; serving at bars, restaurants and clubs always legal) ^{[21] [22]}
•   Kuwait (forbidden even for non-Muslims and tourists) ^[23]
•   Libya ^[24]
•   Malaysia (excluding non-Muslims; some states ban drinking in public)
  •   Kelantan ^[25]
  •   Terengganu ^[26]
•   Maldives (legal for foreigners at licensed establishments; transport of alcohol illegal) ^[27]
•   Mauritania ^[28]
•   Mexico (illegal to drink alcohol in public streets and to carry open alcohol containers in public) ^[29]
•   Morocco (illegal in public; alcohol must be purchased and consumed in licensed hotels, bars, and tourist areas, and is sold in most major supermarkets ^[30] )
•   Norway (only sold in stores within a certain time period on weekdays. Illegal to drink in public, except at bars and restaurants. Nightclubs and bars are not allowed to serve after 3 a.m. Alcohol stronger than 4.7% is only sold in designated stores ( Vinmonopolet ), but beer or cider of 4.7% or less can be bought in grocery stores.) ^[31]
•   Oman (legal for non-Muslim foreigners at restaurants, hotels and bars; at home with license; illegal in public) ^[32]
•   Pakistan (legal for Non-Muslims and foreigners, served at Hotels and can be bought at Wine stores; Illegal for Muslims; public consumption illegal) ^[33]
•   Palestine (illegal in some localities - such as the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip -, but legal in Palestine’s West Bank) ^[34]
•   Philippines (forbidden sales on election day and the day before; foreigners allowed on these days on establishments with permits) ^[35]
•   Qatar (legal for tourists at hotels and bars as well as expatriates with permits) ^[36]
•   Saudi Arabia ^{[37] [38]} (sale and possession completely illegal for all residents and tourists, including non-Muslims; exception only to foreign diplomats)
•   Somalia ^[39]
•   Sudan (excluding non-Muslims in private) ^[40]
•   Tunisia (sales only banned on Fridays and during Ramadan)
•   Turkmenistan (illegal on trains, airplanes, and ferries as well as sports facilities; sales banned on weekends and holidays unless at bars and restaurants) ^[41]
•   United Kingdom
  • Bournville (The sale of alcohol is not permitted in the Bournville area of Birmingham and thus no licensed premisies exist in the village). ^[42]
  • Northern Ireland (Alcohol cannot be sold after 22:00 and before 08:00.) ^[43]
  •   Scotland (Alcohol cannot be sold in shops before 10:00, or after 22:00, sales in bars, pubs, nightclubs and other licensed establishments is permitted)
•   United States (dry counties for sales)
•   Yemen (illegal; before the war, there were exceptions for tourists at certain hotels in Aden and Sana'a) ^[44]
•   United Arab Emirates (illegal in Sharjah; public consumption illegal) ^[45]

Past

•   Canada  –1918–1920 (see prohibition in Canada)
•   Faroe Islands  –1907–1992 (see 1907 Faroese alcohol referendum)
•   Finland  –1919–1932 ^[46]
•   Hungarian Soviet Republic  –March 21 –August 1, 1919 –Sale and consumption of alcohol was prohibited ^[47] (partial ban from July 23). ^[48]
•   Iceland  –1915–1935 (see prohibition in Iceland) –However beer with an alcohol content exceeding 2.25% was prohibited until 1989.^{[ citation needed ]}
•   North Yemen  –1962–1990^{[ citation needed ]}
•   Norway  –1916–1926, distilled spirits banned; 1917-1923 fortified wines banned. ^{[49] [50]}
•   Ottoman Empire  –1612–1640 (prohibition by Murad IV)^{[ citation needed ]}
•   Panama  –March 25 –May 8, 2020 –Sale and consumption of alcohol was prohibited as part of the social distancing measures against Covid-19.^{[ citation needed ]}
•   Philippines  – 1966–1986^{[ citation needed ]}
•   Pitcairn Islands  – 1790-2009 ^[51]
•   Russian Empire and the   Soviet Union  –July 19, 1914 – August 28, 1925; 1929;^{[ citation needed ]}
•   South Africa (temporary ban to prevent drunken violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa) ^[a]
•   United Arab Emirates – In November 2020, the UAE introduced reforms that include the decriminalisation of alcohol for those 21 and over, except the Emirate of Sharjah. ^{[ citation needed ]}
•   United States  –1920–1933 (see prohibition in the United States)

See also

• Religion and alcohol

Notes

1. In 2020, South Africa reimposed a ban on alcohol sales in July ^[52] after an initial ban ended on June 1. ^[53] In August, South Africa lifted its second ban on alcohol. ^[54]

References

1. "Community Restrictions and Prohibitions". Fin.gov.nt.ca.
2. "Alcohol Prohibition in Foreign Countries". QuitAlcohol.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
3. "Afghan agents pour 3,000 litres of alcohol into Kabul canal amid crackdown | Afghanistan | the Guardian".
4. Scheele, Judith (2008). "A Taste for Law: Rule-Making in Kabylia (Algeria)". Comparative Studies in Society and History. 50 (4): 895–919. doi:10.1017/S0010417508000388. JSTOR   27563712. S2CID   145706862.
5. "Bangladesh loosens its booze laws". The Economist.
6. "Local laws and customs - Brunei travel advice". gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
7. Weber, Bob (16 October 2018). "Nunavut, N.W.T and Yukon to allow communities to block opening of cannabis stores". The Globe and Mail.
8. "Alcohol, Drug Use and Gambling Among the Inuit of Nunavik : Epidemiological Profile" (PDF). Inspq.qc.ca. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
9. "Ley 19925: Ley Sobre Expendio y Consumo de Bebidas Alcoholicas". Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
10. "Union of the Comoros – 2017 International Religious Freedom Report" (PDF). state.gov. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
11. Mamtany, Sidhant (2019-05-28). "List of states that have imposed complete ban on alcohol consumption". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
12. "Gujarat: 28 Dead, Several Hospitalised After Consuming Spurious Alcohol".
13. "States with total and phase-wise prohibition of alcohol in India". The Indian Express . 6 April 2016.
14. "India's Bihar alcohol ban struck down". BBC News. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
15. "No prohibition here - Taipei Times". 7 September 2016.
16. "'Drunk, naked': Australian man arrested over violent rampage in Aceh". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
17. Pulau Weh Alcohol Drink & Dining on Sabang, Weh Island, Aceh, Safari Wisata International
18. "Alcohol in Iran: A Complete Guide to Iran's Drinking Policy for Tourists". 7 August 2019.
19. "Iraq might be having second thoughts about the new law banning alcohol". Independent.co.uk . 27 October 2016.
20. Citizensinformation.ie. "Alcohol and the law". www.citizensinformation.ie. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
21. "Knesset bans alcohol sales after 11 p.m." The Jerusalem Post . Retrieved 19 January 2022.
22. Neumark, Y. D.; Rahav, G.; Teichman, M.; Hasin, D. (19 July 2001). "Alcohol drinking patterns among Jewish and Arab men and women in Israel". Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 62 (4): 443–447. doi:10.15288/jsa.2001.62.443. PMID   11513222 . Retrieved 19 January 2022– via PubMed.
23. https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/kuwait/#:~:text=The%20law%20prohibits%20eating%2C%20drinking,%2C%20trade%2C%20or%20manufacture%20alcohol. State - 2022 Report on International Freedom - Kuwait
24. "Libya alcohol poisoning kills 51". 11 March 2013.
25. "Alcohol Policies in Malaysia".
26. "Alcohol Policies in Malaysia".
27. "Guide to Maldives | Magic of Maldives".
28. "Trouble brewing". The Economist.
29. https://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-things-to-never-do-there-according-to-local Business Insider - Mexico
30. "What is Prohibited in Morocco? 8 Points to Keep in Mind". Blog.tangiertransfer.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
31. "Lov om omsetning av alkoholholdig drikk m.v. (alkoholloven)" [Act on the sale of alcoholic beverages (Alcohol Act)]. Lovdata (in Norwegian). §§ 1-3, 3-1, 3-7, 4-4, 8-9. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
32. "15 things to know before visiting Oman".
33. "Women Tell Us How They Illegally Buy Alcohol and Drugs in Pakistan - VICE". 27 July 2021.
34. https://ecpalestine.org/alcohol-in-the-west-bank-palestine/#:~:text=The%20West%20Bank%2C%20Palestine%20is,it%20on%20the%20local%20level. Alcohol in the West Bank, Palestine
35. Avendaño, Christine; Tubeza, Philip (9 May 2013). Cheers! Here's to SC rule cutting liquor ban duration. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
36. "Will fans be allowed to drink alcohol at 2022 World Cup Qatar?". 8 July 2022.
37. "Saudi tourism official clarifies country's stand on alcohol consumption". 27 May 2022.
38. "Saudi Arabia Opens First Ever Alcohol Store Accessible to a Select Group". CNBC. January 24, 2024.
39. "Somalia: Somali Police Seize Illicit Alcohol". 23 September 2020.
40. "Sudan scraps apostasy law and alcohol ban for non-Muslims". BBC News, Africa. 12 July 2020.
41. "New law in Turkmenistan cracks down sharply on alcohol sales". Associated Press . January 2019.
42. Murray, Graeme (17 February 2024). "Beautiful UK village where alcohol is banned for a very strange reason". The Mirror. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
43. "When can you sell alcohol in Northern Ireland? | nibusinessinfo.co.uk". www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
44. "Yemen hotel serving alcohol attacked; 2 dead". CBS News . 4 January 2012.
45. "United Arab Emirates relaxes Islamic laws on alcohol and cohabitation, criminalizes 'honor' killings". NBC News . 7 November 2020.
46. Wuorinen, John H. (1932). "Finland's Prohibition Experiment". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 163: 216–226. doi:10.1177/000271623216300123. ISSN   0002-7162. JSTOR   1017701. S2CID   143783269.
47. "A Forradalmi Kormányzótanács II. sz. rendelete" [Decree No. 2 of the Revolutionary Governing Council]. Budapesti Közlöny: Hivatalos lap[Budapest Gazette: Official Journal] (in Hungarian). 53 (69). Budapest: Athenaeum: 2. 24 March 1919. 1. §. Mindennemü szeszes ital kimérése, forgalombahozatala és fogyasztása tilos.[§ 1. The sale, distribution and consumption of all alcoholic beverages is prohibited.]
48. "A Népgazdasági Tanács 91. N. T. számú rendelete" [Decree No. 91 of the People's Economic Council]. Tanácsköztársaság: Hivatalos lap[Soviet Republic: Official Journal] (in Hungarian). 1 (99). Budapest: Athenaeum: 1. 23 July 1919. 1. §. Minden dolgozó, aki 18-ik életévét betöltötte, naponkint félliter (0'5 l.) bort fogyaszthat.[§ 1. All workers who have reached the age of 18 can consume half a liter (0.5 L) of wine daily.]
49. Hem, Per Eivind; Hem, Erlend (2012). "Et regelverk fullt av smutthull - legenes reseptrett i forbudstiden 1916 - 26". Tidsskrift for den Norske Legeforening (in Norwegian). 132 (23). Norwegian Medical Association: 2636–2640. doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.12.1207 . ISSN   0029-2001. PMID   23338098.
50. "Alcohol's role in the relationship between Sweden and Norway". Sciencenorway (in Norwegian). 2019-06-14. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
51. "After 200-Year Prohibition Liquor Now Flows on Pitcairn Island". Pitcairn Islands Study Center. April 8, 2009. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
52. "Coronavirus: South Africa bans alcohol sales again to combat Covid-19". BBC News. July 13, 2020.
53. "Coronavirus: South Africans cheer as alcohol goes back on sale". BBC News. June 1, 2020.
54. "South Africa: Queues as ban on alcohol and cigarettes ends". BBC News. August 18, 2020.