Willis–Campbell Act Explained

Shorttitle:Willis–Campbell Act
Longtitle:An Act Supplemental to the National Prohibition Act.
Nickname:National Prohibition Supplemental Act of 1921
Enacted By:67th
Effective Date:November 23, 1921
Title Amended:27 U.S.C.: Intoxicating Liquors
Sections Amended: §§ 2, 3, 5
Introducedin:House
Introducedby:Philip P. Campbell (R–KS)
Introduceddate:June 2, 1921
Committees:House Judiciary, Senate Judiciary, House Rules
Passedbody1:House
Passeddate1:June 27, 1921
Passedvote1:268–102
Passedbody2:Senate
Passeddate2:August 8, 1921
Passedvote2:46–21
Conferencedate:August 16, 1921
Passedbody3:House
Passeddate3:August 23, 1921
Passedvote3:agreed
Passedbody4:Senate
Passeddate4:November 18, 1921
Passedvote4:62–24
Signedpresident:Warren G. Harding
Signeddate:November 23, 1921
Amendments:Medicinal Liquor Prescriptions Act of 1933
Scotus Cases:Lambert v. Yellowley

The Willis–Campbell Act of 1921 was a piece of legislation in the United States intended to clarify and tighten regulations around the medicinal use of alcohol during Prohibition. The law, sponsored by Republican Sen. Frank B. Willis of Ohio and Rep. Philip P. Campbell of Kansas, specified that only "spirituous and vinous liquors" (i.e. spirits and wine, thus excluding beer) could be prescribed medicinally, reduced the maximum amount of alcohol per prescription to half a pint, and limited doctors to 100 prescriptions for alcohol per 90-day period. It was commonly known as the "beer emergency bill".[1] [2]

The Act kept in force all anti-liquor tax laws that had been in place prior to the passage of the Volstead Act in 1919, giving authorities the right to choose whether or not to prosecute offenders under prohibition laws or revenue laws, but at the same time guaranteeing bootleggers that they would not be prosecuted in both ways.

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Notes and References

  1. 'Physicians are not bootleggers.' The short, peculiar life of the medicinal alcohol movement.. Bull Hist Med. 2008. 82 . 2 . 355–386. 18622072. 10.1353/bhm.0.0005 . Appel . JM. 37764670.
  2. Just What the Doctor Ordered. The Smithsonian. April 2005. 22 November 2017.