During the prohibition era, the production and consumption of alcohol were still prevalent, leading to a flourishing black market for alcoholic beverages. This black market was dominated by organized crime groups such as the mafia, which profited from the illegal trade. Bootlegging, the process of illegally producing, transporting, and selling alcohol, became widespread, and speakeasies, clandestine establishments where alcohol was sold and consumed, proliferated throughout the country.
The era of prohibition faced widespread criticism and resistance, as many people considered it an infringement on personal freedom and saw it as ineffective in achieving its intended goals. Additionally, the ban on alcohol contributed to the rise of organized crime and corruption. Eventually, the prohibition was repealed with the ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933, putting an end to the ban on alcoholic beverages in the United States.