PODCAST: America’s drinking laws make no sense

America is built on freedom. So why are there still more than 500 places where you can’t legally buy a drink?

In this episode of Searching for America, Robyn Curnow explores the strange, contradictory world of American drinking laws – from Utah’s strict alcohol rules and ID checks to dry counties that still exist nearly a century after Prohibition.

Why can you drive at 16 but not buy a beer until you’re 21? Why do some towns still ban alcohol? And what do puritanical drinking laws reveal about American culture, religion and power?

From the infamous “Zion Curtain” in Utah to Prohibition, this is a story about alcohol – but, really, it’s about how America works.

Robyn Curnow’s podcast, “Searching for America”, examines the US from her outsider perspective – as a South African living in the American South. 

You can also watch the podcast on YouTube and sign up for her free weekly newsletter or Substack here.

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