Why alcohol should not be legal?

In the 1920’s during world war one, the churches mostly Protestants began to lobby against the sales of alcohol: in order to slow crime and domestic abuse. Furthermore many saloons or bars were selling German products. On January 16, 1919 the lobbyist won and under the Eighteenth Amendment prohibition was created and made legal. Unfortunately it didn’t last long since bootleggers were now creating their own spirits.

The bootleggers were becoming wealthy by selling illegal spirits and the States were becoming more, and more unable to police them. Crime rates were rising to new heights as the bootleggers formed mobs and syndicates gaining control of the streets. In the year 1933 prohibition was repealed, congress felt that it would weaken organized crime as well as be used to generate moneys through taxation. In my opinion this shows that people became desperate during theGreat Depressionfor Alcohol. Just likemarijuana, coke, and heroin: the government made a drug illegal and people found a way to obtain it.

In my opinion our society feels that there is a need for it and they are right. Alcohol is a drug that stimulates economic growth and development, but not with out consequences. People have different reasons for abusing alcohol. Drinking Alcohol has many consequences. I have personally seen the effects of alcohol abuse. Alcohol should be illegal, because it is a drug that can ruin many lives, can cause mental illness, and causes crime rates to increase like other drugs. People have different reasons for abusing alcohol.

Many people drink socially, while others binge drink. A person might want to take the edge off by drinking a few beers. Alcohol has become a household drug. It is served at parties and at dinners. The majority of people drink in order to enjoy themselves, however many people drink for the wrong reasons, such as drinking to forget your problems which results in abuse. Drinking alcohol has many consequences. Alcohol also leads to physical ailments such as hypertension. If a drinker continues a pattern of binge drinking he/she might become a victim of heart disease.

Alcohol also causes jaundice, which is caused by cirrhosis of the liver, as well as cause kidney damage. It can cause families to break apart. It can cause people to lose their jobs and homes. Alcohol increases chances for communicable disease. There are many people in prison, because of choices made while drinking. According to Crime in America’s statistics “ drugs and alcohol implicated in 78 percent of violent crimes”(Crime in America, 2010 ). Alcohol should be illegal, because it is a drug that can ruin many lives. Thousands of people have lost love ones due hospitalization and car wrecks. According to NHTSA, 35 percent of all traffic deaths occurred in crashes in which at least one driver or non occupant had a BAC of 0. 08 percent or more and that any alcohol was present in 41 percent of all fatal crashes in 2002. ”(Hingson & Micheal, 2003; Hanson) Sadly it’s not always the user that is harmed; many accidents involve pedestrians, or passengers. Furthermore drinking has long term effects, it can kill someone quickly, or slowly. ” In 2006 a total of 22, 073 persons died of alcohol-induced causes in the United States” (Annual causes of death in the United States, 2011 para 6) Alcohol can increase the chances of mental illness.

People who suffer fromanxietyordepressiontend to self medicate. The user only feels a deeper feeling ofanxiety or depression, so they drink more only building a tolerance. This is known as the Vicious Circle. “ Moderate doses of alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine can induce psychotic symptoms in a person with schizophrenia, and small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, or other drugs can precipitate prolonged psychotic relapses. ” (Drake, 1994 para 2) People with mental illness are more vulnerable to the affects of alcohol.

This is the concept behind the idea of Dual Disorder: a patient has two defined diseases. Normal people have been noted to gain mental issues fromdrug abuse, while people with mental problems gain drugs abuse. Many people that abuse alcohol are prone to have relationship issues. Problems controlling finances, and working their job. These contribute to an individuals need to medicate. Considering that alcohol is a depressant, in individuals that suffer from depression spirits can lead tosuicide. An estimated five million of the 32 million people 65 and older suffer from depression. Russel, 2007 para 2) The chances of suicide due to drinking increases with age, because of the responsibilities that come with age. Alcohol seems to be a tool for people to evacuate the everyday life. Alcohol increases crime rates just like other drugs. There are however casual drinkers that just have a drink on occasion. The regular social drinkers that don’t abuse alcohol and treat it as a privilege, should they be punished for what others have, and are doing? Honestly I don’t feel as though they should. Alcohol generatesmoneyfor our Government by State Tax.

So why not make other drugs legal? Our Government will then be able to generate money by taxing Marijuana. It’s the same as what was happening during the prohibition: prohibited drugs are still being used without regulation and criminals are making money from it. Drug related crime on our streets can possibly be slowed by making certain drugs legal: certain dealers would no longer be able to supply if people got those drugs from a local store or pharmacy. That is why crime is lower in places like Northern California, were marijuana has been made legal in some parts.

As I stated prior it seems that people are going out of their way to obtain the drug that suits them and that’s why alcohol is a drug like the rest. I have personally seen the effects of alcohol abuse. While being a member of the Armed Forces, my associates, and I would often go to bars. While there we would go on all night binges and drink until the bar closed. One particular night we were out drinking and having a good time. One of my friends got completely intoxicated, although he was able to handle is liquor, so we didn’t see how bad off he was. We drove home and left him the car to take with him. He made it four blocks before he called us. We found him hanging on the side of a fence and the car had crashed into the side of a facility. He needed medical attention, but he didn’t want to go, because that meant discharge from the Service. So the guys and I called the local authorities and they picked him up. I wonder if he realizes that he could’ve died that night.

References

1. Annual causes of death in the United States. (2011).
2. Retrieved 04 02, 2011, from http://www. drugwarfacts. org/cms/node/30 Crime in America. (2010 , march 3).
3. Retrieved from Crime in America. Net: