Iceland’s Peculiar Beer Ban, 1915–1989

Drug Controls in Iceland: Any Retreat in Sight?

“…If some of the drugs currently banned will eventually be regulated, or even legalized, will this inevitably result in increased public use with more health-related risks than we experience today? By allowing free-market forces to realize their full impact, legalization of the most common drugs -for example, cannabis -will most probably result in more general use of the drug, just as was the case previously with alcohol use (Gunnlaugsson 2017). The temporary and experimental use of drugs, which primarily characterizes use today, as shown in this chapter, will most likely be replaced by more widespread and permanent use of drugs in older age groups.…”

“…As for Iceland, which only legalized beer in 1989, a major legal change might seem unlikely. More liberal alcohol policies, including the legalization of beer, have indisputably increased the total amount of alcohol consumed in Iceland in recent years (Gunnlaugsson 2017). Alcohol use among youth, however, has not increased as many beer opponents had feared.…”

“…Iceland has a long history of national concern over substance use. Alcohol, for example, was prohibited from 1915-1922 and beer was illegal until 1989 (Gunnlaugsson 2017). However, the revoking of beer prohibition did not signal the end of the struggle against intoxicating substances in Iceland.…”