Historical Food and Drink Bans

In 700 BC, rulers of Babylon punished tavern keepers who overcharged for beer with death by drowning. This illustrated early efforts to regulate consumption and pricing of alcohol.

During the Middle Ages, several European monarchies banned pork at different times to enforce religious dietary laws and to prevent diseases like trichinosis, a food-borne illness.

In the 17th century, fearing that coffeehouses spurred dissent, King Charles II attempted to suppress them in England. Coffee was also suspected to have seditious effects on the Ottoman Empire.

The 18th Amendment, effective in 1920, launched the Prohibition era, banning alcohol in the US. This led to illegal speakeasies, bootlegging, and unintended support of organized crime.

Contemporary prohibitions can be surprising, like Kinder Eggs in the USA due to choking hazards, or chewing gum in Singapore to maintain public cleanliness. Such bans reflect unique cultural and safety concerns.

During Prohibition, grape brick sales boomed as a legal loophole. They came with warnings not to ferment into wine!