Alcohol prohibition relaxed in South Africa, tobacco prohibition continues

People in South Africa were finally allowed to buy alcohol yesterday, and there was much rejoicing.

⁦@cjsnowdon⁩ Thought you might like to see these well ordered celebrations as alcohol prohibition ends in Pretoria today. pic.twitter.com/b6zkc5l0m0

— Martin Narey (@martinnarey) June 1, 2020

The government is maintaining the prohibition on tobacco, however. Its Covid-related excuses for doing so are threadbare and I suspect the state has simply seized an opportunity to experiment with 'endgame strategies', as tobacco prohibitionists euphemistically call them.

There are no prizes for guessing how this will work out, but expect to see some 'studies' in the likes of Tobacco Control saying what a success it's been.

I've written about lockdown prohibitions in South Africa and elsewhere for Cap-X.

Students of history will not be surprised that certain criminal activities have soared under South African prohibition. Fully stocked liquor shops have been sitting ducks for looters and armed robbers while criminal gangs have been bringing contraband alcohol over the country’s notoriously porous borders.  

Do have a read.