Volstead Act

American  

noun

1. an act of Congress, introduced in 1919 by Andrew J. Volstead to implement the Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution, which forbade the sale of alcoholic beverages.

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Example Sentences

But they finally got Al Capone for federal income tax evasion, not for murder, racketeering, or Volstead Act violations, so sometimes you have to pick the clear-cut legal case to put away a career criminal.

From Salon

The Volstead Act, which banned the production, import and distribution of alcoholic beverages, went into effect at midnight on Jan. 17, 1920.

From Seattle Times

To prevent this, the Volstead Act held dominion not only over the land but also encroached on the kingdom of Neptune, prohibiting the consumption of alcohol up to 12 miles out to sea.

From Seattle Times

Guy Bentley, director of consumer freedom at the Reason Foundation, said on Twitter: “Serious Volstead Act vibes here,” referring to the 1920 law designed to implement Prohibition, which failed to end sales of alcohol.

From Washington Post

I’m skeptical of any of the myriad claims to original authorship, but I’m inclined to believe cocktail writer David Wondrich when he suggests the drink was popularized by tourists crossing the border into Mexico to escape the restrictions of the Volstead Act for a weekend.

From Seattle Times