The earliest pioneers of the Temperance Movement were not so much concerned with abstinence, but rather the concept of moderation. They were much less concerned about beer, wine and cider than punch, rum and whisky.
As the alcoholic came to be seen as ill and needy rather than immoral and degenerate, so the argument for complete abstinence began to take centre stage. Restrictions on ale-house opening hours were introduced in 1828 and tightened further in 1848 and 1854.
In America an ‘Anti-saloon League’ emerged, which joined the political movement calling for national prohibition, which was duly enacted in 1919. Initially this had quite wide support, but a combination of pressure from the voters and a desperate need for taxation income led to the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.
Attempts to ban juvenile drinking are a modern phenomenon. In the Middle Ages, infants received ale as part of their normal diet. In 1908 it became illegal for children under 14 to enter bars, and in 1923 sale of alcohol to under-18s was forbidden.
Limits
A unit is a half-pint of normal-strength beer or lager, a medium glass of wine or one measure of spirits. A relatively safe daily intake for adults is 2 –3 units for women and 3 – 4 units for men.(published with permission in writing from:http://addiction.ie/)
