Comment by stevekemp

Prohibition (of alcohol) wouldn't work, but over time the government has raised alcohol duty rates:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/alcohol-duty-rates

That cuts down on drinking, except for the alcoholics of course. Scotland also imposed a minimum price per unit on alcohol, in an attempt to further cut consumption:

https://www.gov.scot/policies/alcohol-and-drugs/minimum-unit...

Whether that works is an open question, but in the UK things like "the sugar tax" have a visible affect on consumer consumption rates of "bad things".