Images circulated on the internet of boozy Tide Pods that are ice cube-sized pouches filled with mini whiskey bottles that you can pop in your mouth to feel the flavors. When you look at the history of alcohol, you see that there were multiple ways to hide alcohol since it was considered contraband. It is important that we continue to discover new ways that people are hiding alcohol in order to catch them in the act and prevent fewer accidents from happening.
How Did People Hide Alcohol During the 1800s?
In the 1800s, many Americans had indoor industrial jobs that did not allow them to drink in fear of accidents by the machinery. Men would not carry around bottles in fear of them being stolen, so they were hidden in flasks in the boot or strapped around the thigh. It was also considered impolite back then for women to drink, so they would sneak in their liquor by filling it in old perfume bottles.
How Did People Hide Alcohol During the Prohibition Era?
From 1920 to 1933, the Prohibition Era banned alcohol sales and consumption around the U.S. Rumrunners and bootleggers would transport massive quantities of alcohol illegally into and throughout the country. Other Americans would find their own sneaky ways like egg farmers getting rid of their eggs in cartons and filling them with whiskey. Men would hide small bottles under their hats. It was not necessarily the legal punishments that would make people hide their booze since the worst that could happen was a small fine. But, the police were able to confiscate any liquor they could find and keep it as the bureau was filled with alcoholics as well.
What Happened When the Prohibition Era Ended?
When the Prohibition Era ended, state and municipal alcohol regulations were made. Changes like tighter open-container restrictions were made possible by social groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving which raised the national drinking age to 21. There are still high numbers of alcohol-related deaths. Finding ways to hide alcohol to drink everywhere does not help the escalating problem. Today, there are multiuse water bottles that make it possible to sneak wine to the park. There are stickers that make your beer cans look like soda cans that you can bring to the beach. Catching these sneaky ways of bringing alcohol to contraband places can help decrease the chances of alcohol-related deaths.
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