Prohibition was advanced politically by Progressives in both the Democrat and Republican parties who sought government solutions for social problems.

Prohibition was supported by diverse groups; however, politicians primarily catered to business leaders who wanted a more stable, sober workforce. So, under the guise of concern for their fellow man, Progressives worked to increase the production and profits of big business by restricting the liberty of adult consumers.

While doing so, some cited absurd “scientific facts,” even claiming that people who consumed alcohol could spontaneously combust.

Prohibition was one of the biggest public-policy debacles in American history, as it turned law-abiding citizens into common criminals, destroyed industries, closed small businesses and created black markets run by the likes of Al Capone.

The new prohibitionists have much in common with their misguided predecessors. Under the guise of protecting the health of their fellow citizens, they conjure up imaginary villains while touting shaky science. Through government coercion, they strong arm businesses and scare consumers into obedience.

For a perfect example, consider New York City. Under the leadership of health commissioner Thomas R. Frieden, the city rapidly moved from one villain to the next—smoking, trans-fats, calorie counts, sweetened beverages and, most recently, salt.

Frieden led New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) from 2002 until 2009, when he was appointed by President Obama to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

DOH, with a budget of $1.6 billion and over 6000 staff, is a powerful tool used by activist bureaucrats who seek to control personal decision making. One can imagine what Frieden might do with his new budget of $10 billion at the CDC.

If you listen carefully to Frieden and others, like Joshua Sharfstein, Principal Deputy Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Frieden’s replacement, Thomas Farley, you will hear underlying motives beyond consumer protection, which include cost cutting for insurance companies and various government programs.

When asked about his anticipated legacy in New York, Frieden answered: “We should have established an information system that will allow us to track and improve the health of all New Yorkers.” And he meant “track” literally.

Frieden created a controversial, rather Orwellian, surveillance program for diabetics to track their blood glucose levels. Results from medical examinations were automatically sent to the DOH for monitoring. Bureaucrats then followed up with personal interventions such as letters and medical materials, bypassing the doctor/patient relationship.

In 2006, New York City banned the use of trans fats, which Frieden deemed “dangerous”. But businesses have had a difficult time finding acceptable substitutes and the American Heart Association warned that there was the “potential for unintended and adverse consequences, such as restaurants returning to the use of oils high in saturated or animal-based fat…” Ironically, food manufacturers and restaurants had turned to trans fats years ago after activists convinced them to stop using animal fats.

Frieden believes that it is the government’s job to “change the food environment.” He suggests that the government make, “healthy food cheaper and make lousy food relatively more expensive, particularly sugar-sweetened drinks such as sodas.” He has campaigned for taxes on sugared beverages.

Most recently, Farley and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have declared that the city would presumptuously lead a nationwide sodium-reduction initiative, pressuring food manufacturers to drastically decrease salt despite the fact there is no direct scientific evidence that such reductions will affect coronary incidents, overall health outcomes or mortality.

Dr. Michael Alderman, editor of the American Journal of Hypertension, is concerned a population-wide sodium reduction campaign could have unintended consequences.

"They want to do an experiment on a whole population without a good control," Alderman told the New York Daily News.
In a 2000, Alderman warned: “Few data link sodium intake to health outcomes, and that which is available is inconsistent. Without knowledge of the sum of the multiple effects of a reduced sodium diet, no single universal prescription for sodium intake can be scientifically justified.”

Reminiscent of earlier warnings that drinkers may spontaneously combust, Bloomberg has absurdly compared salt to asbestos and has warned citizens not to eat it.

Never mind that the human body cannot survive without salt, the most important electrolyte. And never mind that Bloomberg has been observed salting his toast and his pizza, which is reminiscent of the number of politicians who openly frequented speakeasies.

The new prohibitionists’ arrogant quest for government control is more intrusive and more alarming than the Prohibition of the early 20th century. It is up to the American people to insist that they, not unelected government bureaucrats, make decisions about what they eat and drink.