---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is impossible to tell whether…"
description: "\"It is impossible to tell whether prohibition is a good thing or a bad thing. It has never been enforced in this country.\" — Fiorello H. La Guardia"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/fiorello-h-la-guardia-32702_bad-thing_it-is-impossible-to-tell-whether-prohibi_3177757.png"
---

#  It is impossible to tell whether prohibition is a good…

![“It is impossible to tell whether prohibition is a good thing or a bad thing. It has never been enforced in this country.” quote by Fiorello H. La Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/fiorello-h-la-guardia-32702_bad-thing_it-is-impossible-to-tell-whether-prohibi_3177757.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/fiorello-h-la-guardia-32702_bad-thing_it-is-impossible-to-tell-whether-prohibi_3177757.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/fiorello-h-la-guardia-32702_bad-thing_it-is-impossible-to-tell-whether-prohibi_3177757.png)

> “It is impossible to tell whether prohibition is a good thing or a bad thing. It has never been enforced in this country.”

[Fiorello H. La Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiorello-h-la-guardia/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Prohibition's effectiveness is questionable when enforcement is lax, making its moral value unclear.

**In simple terms:** Laws without enforcement lose meaning.

Key Takeaway

Consider practicality when evaluating policies.

Themes

law policy enforcement

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

political historical

When to use this quote

- legislation drafting
- public health initiatives
- regulatory compliance
- social movements

Key Concepts

legal theory public morality

Questions to Reflect On

- What alternatives could address the issue without prohibition?
- How does enforcement affect public perception of law?

A Different Perspective

May ignore moral arguments supporting prohibition despite enforcement issues.

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[Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Prohibition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibition/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

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