--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what…" description: "\"Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit.\" — Frank Herbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/frank-herbert-262_drug-prohibition_laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what_2539557.jpg" --- # Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would… ![“Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit.” quote by Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/frank-herbert-262_drug-prohibition_laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what_2539557.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/frank-herbert-262_drug-prohibition_laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what_2539557.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/frank-herbert-262_drug-prohibition_laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what_2539557.jpg) > “Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit.” [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempts to ban something often make it more attractive and harder to enforce. **In simple terms:** Banning things can make them stronger. Key Takeaway Consider unintended consequences of prohibition. Themes law control human behavior Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - parenting - advertising - social media moderation Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What makes prohibited items more alluring? - How can laws be designed to avoid strengthening the forbidden? A Different Perspective Prohibition can also reduce demand if applied wisely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drug prohibition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug-prohibition/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Prohibit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibit/) ## Related quotes > [Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit. This is the fine point on which all legal professions of history have based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-herzen/laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what-they-would-prohibit-this-is/) [Alexander Herzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-herzen/) > [Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-provide-against-injury-from-others-but-not-from-ourselves/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Radicals are only to be feared when you try to suppress them. You must demonstrate that you will use the best of what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/radicals-are-only-to-be-feared-when-you-try-to-suppress-them-you-must/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [I introduced legislation in the Senate to prohibit President Obama's amnesty. The House of Representatives stood up and led. It took the legislation I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-introduced-legislation-in-the-senate-to-prohibit-president-obama-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Prohibition is an awful flop. We like it. It can't stop what it's meant to stop. We like it. It's left a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-p-adams/prohibition-is-an-awful-flop-we-like-it-it-can-t-stop-what-it-s-meant/) [Franklin P. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-p-adams/) > [I'm telling you right now, you'll drop dead if you prohibit what God is doing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-howard-browne/i-m-telling-you-right-now-you-ll-drop-dead-if-you-prohibit-what-god/) Rodney Howard-Browne > [Traditionally, marriage is one arena where states have all but plenary power; it took until 1967 for the Supreme Court to tell states they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/traditionally-marriage-is-one-arena-where-states-have-all-but-plenary/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [Stripped of ethical rationalizations and philosophical pretensions, a crime is anything that a group in power chooses to prohibit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freda-adler/stripped-of-ethical-rationalizations-and-philosophical-pretensions-a/) [Freda Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freda-adler/) > [Countries who limit or prohibit women from attending any educational institution, walking freely without a male escort or barring women from basic human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santos/countries-who-limit-or-prohibit-women-from-attending-any-educational/) [George Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santos/) > [The mere suggestion that not speaking for a day can give you an appreciation of the social isolation that comes with the experience of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/the-mere-suggestion-that-not-speaking-for-a-day-can-give-you-an/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [Both CNN and NPR prohibit political activity by all journalists, no matter their assignment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/both-cnn-and-npr-prohibit-political-activity-by-all-journalists-no/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [Theology necessitates an image of God as a conscious, rational, supernatural being of unlimited power and scope who cares about humans and imposes moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/theology-necessitates-an-image-of-god-as-a-conscious-rational/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [New York state ethics rules prohibit lawyers from soliciting gifts from clients 'for the benefit of the lawyer or a person related to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/new-york-state-ethics-rules-prohibit-lawyers-from-soliciting-gifts/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [Manufactured scandals prohibit public servants from doing the job they were elected or appointed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/manufactured-scandals-prohibit-public-servants-from-doing-the-job/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [You can grow marijuana, so the government can't tax you and they don't like that, that's why they prohibit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/you-can-grow-marijuana-so-the-government-can-t-tax-you-and-they-don-t/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) ## More by Frank Herbert > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“A leader, you see, is one of the things that distinguishes a mob from a people. He maintains the level of individuals. Too few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/a-leader-you-see-is-one-of-the-things-that-distinguishes-a-mob-from-a/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“I will tell you this only once. Homosexuals have been among the best warriors in our history, the berserkers of last resort. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/i-will-tell-you-this-only-once-homosexuals-have-been-among-the-best/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/between-depriving-a-man-of-one-hour-from-his-life-and-depriving-him/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [The surest way to keep a secret is to make someone think they already know the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-surest-way-to-keep-a-secret-is-to-make-someone-think-they-already/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“how inevitable it was that the aristocrat would refuse his final duty—which was to step aside and vanish into history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/how-inevitable-it-was-that-the-aristocrat-would-refuse-his-final-duty/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“What we should have done was test the gift first. We should have probed for dangers. We were too bedazzled by it, though.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/what-we-should-have-done-was-test-the-gift-first-we-should-have/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Have you noticed, Stil, how beautiful the young women are this year?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/have-you-noticed-stil-how-beautiful-the-young-women-are-this-year/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Humans are born with a susceptibility to that most persistent and debilitating disease of intellect: self-deception. The best of all possible worlds and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/humans-are-born-with-a-susceptibility-to-that-most-persistent-and/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Face your fears or they will climb over your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/face-your-fears-or-they-will-climb-over-your-back/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Many have marked the speed with which Muad'Dib learned the necessities of Arrakis. The Bene Gesserit, of course, know the basis of this speed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/many-have-marked-the-speed-with-which-muad-dib-learned-the/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“The assumption that a whole system can be made to work better through an assault on its conscious elements betrays a dangerous ignorance. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-assumption-that-a-whole-system-can-be-made-to-work-better-through/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-power-to-destroy-a-thing-is-the-absolute-control-over-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Providence and Manifest Destiny are synonyms often invoked to support arguments based on wishful thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/providence-and-manifest-destiny-are-synonyms-often-invoked-to-support/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [If you ask "Should we be in space?" you ask a nonsense question. We are in space. We will be in space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/if-you-ask-should-we-be-in-space-you-ask-a-nonsense-question-we-are/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) [Explore all 776 Frank Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) ## More Drug prohibition quotes > [A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/a-prohibition-law-strikes-a-blow-at-the-very-principles-upon-which/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-provide-against-injury-from-others-but-not-from-ourselves/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-j-anslinger/there-are-100-000-total-marijuana-smokers-in-the-us-and-most-are/) [Harry J. Anslinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-j-anslinger/) > [When we finally decide that drug prohibition has been no more successful than alcohol prohibition, the drug dealers will disappear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/when-we-finally-decide-that-drug-prohibition-has-been-no-more/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [If you say, "Would there were no wine" because of the drunkards, then you must say, going on by degrees, "Would there were no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/if-you-say-would-there-were-no-wine-because-of-the-drunkards-then-you/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Alcohol didn't cause the high crime rates of the '20s and '30s, Prohibition did. And drugs do not cause today's alarming crime rates, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carriger-paine/alcohol-didn-t-cause-the-high-crime-rates-of-the-20s-and-30s/) James Carriger Paine > [Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/penalties-against-possession-of-a-drug-should-not-be-more-damaging-to-2/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [While democracy must have its organizations and controls, its vital breath is individual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/while-democracy-must-have-its-organizations-and-controls-its-vital/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Every hour spent investigating a drug user or seller is an hour that could have been used to find a missing child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-barnett/every-hour-spent-investigating-a-drug-user-or-seller-is-an-hour-that/) Randy Barnett > [I'd rather that England should be free than that England should be compulsorily sober. With freedom we might in the end attain sobriety, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-magee/i-d-rather-that-england-should-be-free-than-that-england-should-be/) William Magee > [Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-j-anslinger/marihuana-leads-to-pacifism-and-communist-brainwashing/) [Harry J. Anslinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-j-anslinger/) > [Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/was-the-government-to-prescribe-to-us-our-medicine-and-diet-our/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Congress should definitely consider decriminalizing possession of marijuana... We should concentrate on prosecuting the rapists and burglars who are a menace to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/congress-should-definitely-consider-decriminalizing-possession-of/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way to the common feelings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/whenever-the-offence-inspires-less-horror-than-the-punishment-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Barack Obama's understanding of what the drug war had cost the country was meaningful. And very quietly in his second term, he and Eric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/barack-obama-s-understanding-of-what-the-drug-war-had-cost-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) [Browse all 31 Drug prohibition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug-prohibition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank Herbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what-they-would-prohibit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drug prohibition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what-they-would-prohibit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/frank-herbert-262_drug-prohibition_laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what_2539557.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/frank-herbert-262_drug-prohibition_laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what_2539557.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/frank-herbert-262_drug-prohibition_laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what_2539557.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit.” — Frank Herbert", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frank Herbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Laws to suppress tend to strengthen...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what-they-would-prohibit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/laws-to-suppress-tend-to-strengthen-what-they-would-prohibit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```