Prohibition revisited: county alcohol control consequences.

This study examined measures of alcohol abuse consequences in wet vs dry counties in Kentucky. Data were gathered from all counties of the state for the year 1988. Dry counties had less alcohol-related auto accidents and DUI arrests. Other alcohol-related variables, such as cirrhosis mortality, were not significantly different between wet and dry counties. When demographic variables were also considered, it was determined that the advantage enjoyed by dry counties remained. Findings indicate that county-level alcohol prohibition is effective in promoting the public's health, by improving highway safety.