On the efficacy of prohibition : Prohibition has been tried in several western countries, including the US, and it has proven to be a complete failure. Prohibition only encourages corruption, bootlegging, illicit distillation and leads to serious health hazards apart from a major loss in the state revenue income. In 'dry ' states such as Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, there is widespread consumption of alcohol notwithstanding the prohibition policy. The unfortunate part is that, at the lower end of the market, consumers now resort to illicit brews and intoxicating additives with serious health hazards. Even the United Nations has proclaimed that prohibition is undesirable. In the case of the Indian states, who are desperately short of funds, prohibition only retards development and improvement of public facilities. In Andhra Pradesh, for example, villages do not have drinking water. Income from taxation on alcoholic beverages can be effectively channelised to address such serious problems. If governments are so concerned about the consumption of liquor by the poor masses and their financial well-being, it will be prudent to restrict the consumption of toddy, arrack and country spirit.