Maryland’s Dry Spell: Prohibition Laws Stalled in Annapolis

May 30, 1924, marked the end of another session of the Maryland legislature, leaving behind a trail of unfinished business – specifically, the implementation of the 18th Amendment. Despite numerous bills being introduced, the Senate killed all ‘wet’ bills, while the House shot down all ‘dry’ bills with the exception of two local measures aimed at enforcing prohibition in Frederick and Montgomery counties. This lack of statewide legislation has left Maryland without a clear code for enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment. As a result, the situation remains largely unchanged, save for the passage of those two local bills. In a state where the liquor trade had once thrived, it seems that the forces of prohibition have stalled.