During the Prohibition Era, when alcohol was prohibited, bootleggers became revolutionaries. Many ordinary family men were transformed into ruthless outlaw icons. People were forced to lie, cheat, steal, and kill to protect themselves and their families. What effects did the ban have? The way alcohol was hidden and produced was almost unheard of. Some say he changed this country for the better. Some say it has changed him for the worse. Will the world ever know all the truths during this lawless age? How did Prohibition affect bootlegging? When Prohibition law went into effect, it made the sale and use of alcohol illegal. Therefore, the demand and supply of illegal liquor has increased. The bootleggers were very cunning about where to hide the liquor. Some of the most popular hiding places were gas cans, bookshelves and the backs of camouflaged logging trucks. Outlaws of this era definitely had a target painted on their back. Law enforcement constantly monitored the stills and the men behind their stills. Since law enforcement was so heavy-handed, many distillers and gangsters paid the cops to take some of the pressure off. How did Prohibition affect alcohol production? When prohibition went into effect, people had a strong desire for illegal liquor. As people craved the liquor, supply and demand increased. As supply and demand increased, quality decreased. Think of it as quantity increasing and quality decreasing. To obtain larger quantities, smugglers began using harsh chemicals, alcohol such as antifreeze, and poisons to produce more volume. Instead of throwing away the first poisonous batch, they would jar it up and sell it. Many harmful diseases and deaths resulted from the carelessness of smugglers of the time. A very harmful side effect has been called “jakeleg”. Jakeleg is when someone drinks poor quality alcohol that would paralyze a leg. In a way one might ask: did the ban really protect people? Or did it do more harm than good? So how did the smugglers hide it? Some hid illegal alcohol in bags of corn or wheat. Many have seen television images of switches and levers turning on the wall or bookcase. In many ways these were true. But what about the ones we haven't seen? Many smugglers, when they produced liquor, hid it under trap doors in the ground.