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Trivial Question: Country with no alcohol

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Trivial Question: Country with no alcohol

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Old Aug 2, 2017, 1:12 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by beachmouse
There are some US counties that are dry. Some of them are in Alaska ('Boroughs') and are probably the same physical size as some mid-major EU countries. With Alaska, it's typically in areas with majority indigenous populations where town leaders feel drinking causes too many health and societal problems.
Some parts of AK are damp and others are dry. It's a mixed bag.
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Old Aug 2, 2017, 1:06 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by OccasionalFlyerPerson
Is there any country in the world you can go to where there is no alcohol at all?
.
The Maldives are alcohol-free, I believe.
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Old Aug 2, 2017, 1:29 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by OccasionalFlyerPerson
Both in law and reality?

Looking on TripAdvisor, I find:
That description sounds like "reality". Someone bringing in a couple litres of duty-free isn't going to be roaming around the streets with it or opening a bar with it.

Brunei was my first thought open opening this thread.
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Old Aug 3, 2017, 12:07 am
  #19  
 
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I have yet to visit a country or area where alcohol was illegal, but where I was not offered the opportunity to drink, inlcuding Saudi. Just as many drugs are illegal in many countries but easy to get.
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Old Aug 3, 2017, 11:13 am
  #20  
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Originally Posted by celle
The Maldives are alcohol-free, I believe.
This is what I found with a quick google.

http://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.c...s-alcohol-ban/

The Maldives is not the only nation that take a hard-line stance against alcohol, but it certainly is one of the more paradoxical examples. While the nation maintains a strict Islamic faade, it looks the other way as dozens of luxury resorts scattered across its sprawling atolls not only import alcohol, but make no effort to even hide it.
It looks more and more to be as BRITINJAPAN3 describes it.
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Old Aug 3, 2017, 2:00 pm
  #21  
 
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Are you trying to find somewhere that literally zero alcoholic beverages are physically in existence, period? Or just somewhere that drunk people and other effects are essentially eliminated due to restrictions, even if alcohol can still be found in some instances?

If the latter, a few of the examples in the thread like Brunei and others, are probably as close as you're likely to get.

For the former, I don't think such a place exists or likely ever will. People have been drinking alcohol for thousands of years and no prohibition laws will stop it. Some primates and other animals are even known to enjoy consuming fermented fruits found naturally. Heck even in prison, guys will manage to obtain enough ingredients for pruno.
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Old Aug 3, 2017, 2:54 pm
  #22  
 
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In Brunei there's also "special tea."
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Old Aug 4, 2017, 3:52 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by RohanDXB
Saudi Arabia. Besides expat compounds (where access is strictly controlled) and the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh (in specific areas too), it is almost impossible to find.

It isn't legally available anywhere.
No to say that it doesn't exist - but for the average person, it is out of reach.

Edit: seems like I totally missed the part mentioning Saudi Arabia.

There are a few states in India (but not the whole country) where prohibition still exists (Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, Manipur and the territory of Lakshadweep).
I'm fairly sure it's available there but not about how easy it is.

Ro
I have a friend who owns a high quality carpentry company whose primary products are high end mahogany bars (just like in a good restaurant). One of his biggest markets in KSA. I believe they end up in the basements of villas...
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Old Aug 5, 2017, 5:03 am
  #24  
 
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Kuwait is dry, but there are blind pigs. You can also score diplomatic invitations pretty easily. You can't bring it in, but when I was there they busted a truck with tens of thousands of bottles of Scotch being smuggled in from Saudi which I found telling.
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Old Aug 5, 2017, 6:03 am
  #25  
 
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Certainly just sort of remember having a long session at my agents conpound in Kuwait City, almost every type of alcohol available, and I was told of a hole in the wall but passed on that, scotch in KSA, same in Tehran............................
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 3:41 am
  #26  
 
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Just for your information according to strict Islamic law the consumption, selling, distribution, transportation, etc of alcohol is forbidden to Muslims. In a society governed according to Islamic law non-Muslims are free to brew and consume as long as its not openly sold. (Not intended to open up a theological discussion. If you wish to do so please continue on another appropriate forum)

In India the sale of alcohol is now also being banned within a certain distance of highways.
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 2:47 pm
  #27  
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Thanks for all the information. It seems that there is nowhere where illicit alcohol is unavailable. As a non-drinker myself, it's not so obvious to me why people would find it hard to live for a while without alcohol, but that seems to be the way that the world is.
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 4:38 pm
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by OccasionalFlyerPerson
Thanks for all the information. It seems that there is nowhere where illicit alcohol is unavailable. As a non-drinker myself, it's not so obvious to me why people would find it hard to live for a while without alcohol, but that seems to be the way that the world is.
As a drinker myself, it's not so obvious to me why people would find it hard to live for awhile without having a drink.

It works both ways and so long as a drinker isn't bothering you, then you should consider minding your own business.
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 4:55 pm
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Statman
As a drinker myself, it's not so obvious to me why people would find it hard to live for awhile without having a drink.

It works both ways and so long as a drinker isn't bothering you, then you should consider minding your own business.
In what way am I not minding my own business? I don't think it's unreasonable to ask what the situation is in various countries. I haven't said what other people should or shouldn't do; I've only asked questions.
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 11:30 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by OccasionalFlyerPerson
In what way am I not minding my own business? I don't think it's unreasonable to ask what the situation is in various countries. I haven't said what other people should or shouldn't do; I've only asked questions.
All countries have people in them. Dry countries are prohibiting their residents and visitors from drinking alcohol. You want to go there specifically for that reason. No, it doesn't mean that upon arrival, you're going to smash liquor barrels and advocate for prison time for anyone caught with booze. The government of that country has already done that for you.

There is an implication in this thread that people shouldn't drink. Plenty of non-drinkers are able to go on vacation to Hawaii or whatever and simply not drink alcohol. But for some reason that is not good enough for you, and you need to be in a place that prohibits alcohol for everyone.
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