Saturday, 18 October, 2025
The Drinks Business, Sarah Neish
In 1932, one year before Prohibition officially came to an end in the US, Winston Churchill made sure to secure himself a doctor’s note explaining his “indefinite” need for alcohol while visiting the country.
After having been involved in a car accident in New York, Churchill sought the note from a US doctor for pain relief purposes. The medical professional granted him permission to drink for medical reasons, “especially at mealtimes”, and scrawled a handwritten note on the document advising Churchill to “keep this on hand” in case he was required to produce the note.
Prohibition lasted from 1920 to 1933, during which time the US banned the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages.
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