Saturday, March 9, 2013

For What Ails You: "Medical Beer" of the 1920s

That's right, drink your way to better health.

From the February 3, 2013, Chicago Tribune "Ale for what ails you: 'Medical beer' in 1920s" by Stephan Benzkofer.

"The idea of legalizing a drug by arguing its medicinal qualities is hardly new.  The movement for medical marijuana, which Illinois legislators may consider for legalization this year, is more than 15 years old."

Even during Prohibition, when "drys" ruled, there was allowance for medicinal wine and whiskey.  Doctors could-- and did-- prescribe lots and lots of these, giving new meaning to "Doctor's Orders."  It was a huge loophole in the Volstead Act. 

And, those who chose to drink legally, not the millions and millions who did so illegally, they got a huge boost in March 1921, when US Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, a few days before leaving his post, issued an opinion that the Volstead Act didn't in fact prohibit medicinal beer."

Doctors would be allowed to prescribe a patient up to 96 bottles of beer a month, or, as the Chicago Tribune decreed "Three times a day."

Sadly, Congress closed the "Beer" hole before the year was out.

St. Patrick's Day Wouldn't Be the Same.  --DaCoot

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