Manu Sakshi (Freelance Researcher)
New Delhi, India
Email: [email protected]
Abstract: This paper examines the unintended consequences of Bihar’s alcohol prohibition policy, implemented in 2016. The policy, aimed at curbing alcohol consumption and reducing domestic violence, has instead led to a flourishing bootlegging network, the empowerment of liquor mafias in nexus with the administration, and widespread corruption. Despite some positive outcomes, institutional challenges and failures in policy implementation have resulted in worsened economic strain, a large number of incarcerations, deaths from the consumption of spurious alcohol, and increased involvement of youth in the illegal alcohol trade. This often creates a vicious cycle of substance abuse, crime, and poverty. This paper offers insights into the limitations of blanket prohibition and advocates for community-based interventions and policies more grounded in local realities.
Keywords: Alcohol Ban; Illegal Alcohol Trade; Prohibition Laws; Implementation Challenges; Economic Mobility.