The Controversy Of Banning Alcohol

Improved Essays
Alcohol is the most common recreational drug used by humans around the world, and alcohol can singlehandedly be held responsible for 40% of violent crimes (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 2015). Alcohol is easily accessible by the vast majority of the world’s population which makes this issue of banning alcohol controversial and relevant to every person who consumes alcohol.
Ethanol is the principle type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages which is produced by the fermentation of sugars with yeast. When consumed in small doses, euphoria and relaxation can be experienced but alternatively larger doses of alcohol affect the central nervous system directly by depressing the system producing impaired sensory and motor

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    The start of alcohol production dates back to 6000 B.C. in the Middle East; where grapevines were first cultivated for the manufacturing of wine. By 800 B.C., the first “drunks” were identified in Plato’s works (“History of Alcohol”, n.d.). However, it wasn’t until the 1600’s where alcohol abuse was first spotted (“History of Alcohol”), and it has only worsened since then. Today, alcohol is the most commonly used drug in Canada; as a result, it is considered to be one of the most harmful drugs (Herie & Skinner, 2010, p.18). Since alcohol is embedded into our culture so seamlessly, almost all creative media portray it.…

    • 1772 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Decent Essays

    It’s the early 1920’s, America is in full support and prohibition is underway. But only ten years later, three out of four Americans called for a repeal (Background Essay). With so many people advocating for prohibition, why-only mere years later- did they regret their decision? All of the arguments for prohibition were sound, we needed the money for war, it would increase the productivity of workers and so on. In the end, prohibition did not work for three reasons: the increase in crime, political corruption, and the downfall of economy.…

    • 159 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Did you know that the 21st Amendment in the U.S. constitution is the only amendment in U.S. history that cancels out another amendment? On December 17, 1917, the House of Representatives voted 282 to 128 to approve the 18th amendment and make the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol illegal in the United States. But in 1933, by a huge majority, but the Senate and the House of Representatives voted to remove the 18th Amendment. Why did America change its mind about prohibition? Well, there are many reasons they sort of “regretted” prohibition.…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In my opinion, the 21st amendment is the most significant minus the Bill of Rights. Many of you may disagree, however, prohibition caused an uproar of crime and an economic meltdown. The overall thought behind the 18th amendment some would say to be beneficial. The result, however, was detrimental enough to be the first amendment ever repealed.(history.com staff 2010) Many religious cultures and other advocates promoting a “dry” America believed that making alcohol illegal would make us a better country.…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In general, consumption levels are of low immediate risk to health and injury, however some individuals drink to levels that heightened these risks (1). The total global disease burden attributable to alcohol use is 4%; with costs of around $15.3 billion and with much higher rates of alcohol-attributable hospitalisation in 2005 than 1995 (2). In 2015, studies found that around 70% of young men and 61% of young women aged 18-24 years exceeded guidelines for single-occasion drinking (no more than 4 standard drinks on one occasion per year), with young adults more likely to exceed recommendations than other age groups…

    • 1655 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Arrests for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct declined 50 percent between 1916 and 1922 (Lerner). For the population as a whole, the best estimates are that consumption of alcohol declined by 30 percent to 50 percent. Prohibition is the period in 1920-33 when the Eighteenth Amendment was in force and alcoholic beverages could not legally be manufactured, transported, or sold in the U.S. this period of time both had its positives and negatives to the economy and the people that were living in this time (“Prohibition.” Dictionary.com) . Resulting in the economy dropping and the increase on illegal bootlegging and crime rates during this period of time.…

    • 561 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Prohibition had a negative effect on American society because of the development of organized crime, made government create laws with flaws, and resulted in developing speakeasies and home brewing. This era in summary had a negative effect on society, and was a failure because to begin, Prohibition did not lessen the want to drink. In fact, even more people wanted to drink after the laws were passed due to temptation. Organized Crime prospered due to the money that could've been made with smuggling alcohol. The rise of gangsters and the associated deaths were also a reason Prohibition was looked down upon.…

    • 241 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Satire Essay On Alcohol

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages

    We believe it to be harmless, but once that door is opened, it can never be shut. Alcohol is an escape from the reality of one’s life and is used to find happiness in only the briefest of…

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcohol is the most abused licit psychoactive drugs that affect a person’s ability to think rationally and distorts their judgement and can lead to fatalities and long-term serious diseases if consumed excessively over a long period of time. Alcohol beverages with varied percentage content are consumed globally during religious, social and cultural events, festivals and other occasions. The use of alcoholic beverages has been an integral part of many cultures for thousands of years (McGovern, 2009). Over centuries, there have been ongoing measures, research, interventions and policies which are aimed at promoting the moderate use of alcohol with a particular emphasis on preventing or reducing undesired outcomes. According to WHO worldwide alcohol…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    “Approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die each year because of alcohol related accidents; of those 5,000 kids 1,700 of them are university students. 1,600 of those killed yearly are from alcohol related murders, and 300 suicides.”(NHSA). In the United States, the number of drunk driving deaths has been lowered in half, since the age limit to drink alcohol turned 21. 54 percent of teenagers in high school that drink and drive have drooped by more than half since 1991. Yet, high school teens drive after drinking about 2.4 million times a…

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    An estimated five thousand people under twenty-one years old die each year as a result of injuries caused by underage drinking, including 1,900 injuries from motor vehicle crashes (Underage Alcohol). In addition, the earlier a person begins alcohol use, the greater the chances are of that person becoming an alcoholic, suffering from withdrawal symptoms, and harming the brain during its development (Underage Drinking). The drinking age is set to twenty-one because research shows that young people react differently to alcohol. A person’s brain does not stop developing until his early- to mid-twenties (Myths). Also, alcohol use by those under twenty-one is related to numerous health problems and many other injuries, such as alcohol poisoning and suicide (Why).…

    • 767 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Alcohol makes a person angier, scarier, and more violent than before. In some cases, the person becomes unrecognizable. It is our duty as a nation to protect the teenagers from this, for their bodies aren 't developed enough yet and they are even more susceptible to the evil effects of alcohol. Human beings invented alcohol at the same time the first civilization was built on the muddy banks of the Euphrates river. It was fermented as a way to escape the danger and disarray of life in the fertile crescent.…

    • 2337 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Currently, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is the primary body that is responsible for regulating, executing and overseeing alcohol policies. (AmirLavine, 2012)In general the Federal government regulates the importation and taxation of alcoholic beverages. The most prominent alcohol policy that is still implemented today is the 21st amendment which repealed prohibition. The 21st amendment also allowed the individual states control over whether they allow the sale of alcohol and how it would be imported into the state. States were also allowed to discretion how alcohol was distributed and the laws on possession of alcohol.…

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cody Smith Ryan Scariano English 101 November 1, 2014 Minimum Legal Drinking Age There are many things that factor into what the people of today’s society think the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) should be. This research paper is going to, first, give a little background on alcohol and what has happened in the past. It will then continue to provide evidence from either side of the argument as to whether or not the MLDA should be lowered or kept the same. I believe the minimum legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen.…

    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Every year thousands of people consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is one of the leading causes of life threatening diseases. Alcohol is shown to be good and that it helps make you happy or helps you have a better time; however, alcohol is a slow poison to the body and the mind. Therefore alcohol should be banned because it influences people to make bad decisions, leads to binge drinking and lastly it is a big health hazard. Firstly, alcohol should be banned because it influences people to get into situations where they do not like to be.…

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays