National Prohibition in New Mexico seemed to have a great future. Temperance sentiment had a long history in the state. In 1917, the state’s voters approved state-wide prohibition by three-to-one. That was before National Prohibition went into effect in 1920.
There were high hopes that Prohibition would reduce crime. Would improve health. That it would raise morality. And that it would protect young people.

These hopes would never come true.

Prohibition in New Mexico

Problems

Many people refused to give up what they saw as their right to drink. To satisfy the demand, illegal dealers replaced legal ones

A newspaper wrote a year after Prohibition. “[T]here are a dozen or more moonshine stills in operation in the vicinity of Santa Fe. Everyone knows that more rotgut whiskey is being sold and drunk in Santa Fe than before the days [of Prohibition.]”

Historian David McCullough described one speakeasy.

One of the more notable places was housed in a three-story building. The quality of the drinks and the decor of the rooms changed on each floor. The first floor was for ‘poorer people’ who wished to quench their thirst with ‘white mule.’ The second floor was for those slightly more affluent who ascend to ‘second heaven.’ Only those with a ‘fat wad’ could make it to the third floor where good quality booze was sold. One could drink the top-floor liquor ‘without a chaser.’

Moonshiners tended to make their products carelessly. They often used auto radiators welded with lead. The moonshine often had lead toxins. The results could be disterous. Some consumers had paralysis, blindness, or painful deaths.

Prohibition led to a dangerous drinking pattern. That was drinking less often but much more. People didn’t go to a speakeasy to savor a drink. They usually went to get drunk.

Illegal operators usually had to bribe police. The widespread corruption and hypocrisy eroded support for Prohibition. For the first time in history, it became the fashion for women to drink.

Repeal

As time passed, people concluded that Prohibition in New Mexico was a failure. It even made problems worse. It didn’t reduce crime but increased it. Didn’t improve health but often harmed it. It didn’t raise morality but lowered it. And it didn’t protect young people but threatened their welfare.

So, almost 80 percent of the state voted for Repeal. Santa Fe residents voted 2,768 to 201 for it. Even in rural areas there was very strong support for Repeal.

Resources

Web

• • NM Alcohol Laws. (Do you really know them?)
  • Avoid a DWI in NM.
  • Repeal of Prohib.
  • Repeal Trivia.

Readings

• • Hill, J. Prohib Tales.
  • Springtime and Moonshine. [Link works.]