Should Alcohol Be Banned? - 12 Keys (2024)

Did you know that more people die each year from alcohol-related accidents and health problems than any other psychoactive substance? Although alcohol is one of the most powerfully addictive drugs, its legality also makes it the most widely available. Walk into any city or town in America, and chances are you could get a drink within minutes. Is it time to consider why alcohol should be illegal?

The Risks of Drinking Alcohol

For many, taking a sip of the first drink leads to a lifetime of health problems, failed relationships, reputation troubles and more. Consider these facts:

  • Alcohol is as addictive as many illegal drugs.
  • Alcohol is a contributing factor in many — if not most — violent crimes.
  • Alcohol is proven to cause serious long-term health problems and is linked to numerous life-threatening diseases.
  • Abusing alcohol can lead to addiction, a disease that can end in overdose and death.
  • Innocent people die from the actions of those who abuse alcohol every day.

Despite these facts, banning alcohol is unlikely because:

  • Prohibition didn’t work. Bootleggers and gangsters distributed low-quality alcohol in a lawless, unregulated market.
  • Alcohol is part of our culture, for better or worse. From France and Japan to California and Kentucky, diverse cultures use — and often celebrate — alcohol.
  • We need the money. Taxes on beer, wine, and spirits account for a significant portion of government revenue. Distilleries and vineyards employ thousands of people in the U.S. alone. Prohibiting the sale of alcohol puts those funds in the hands of traffickers.
  • Banning alcohol limits freedom. Although thousands of people die every year from alcohol and alcohol-related incidents, millions more use alcohol responsibly.

Protecting Yourself Against Alcoholism

You already know you can protect yourself from developing an alcohol problem by limiting how much you drink. Did you know, though, that even moderate amounts of alcohol can negatively affect sleep patterns, liver health and more — especially if you live with a mental or behavioral health disorder such as depression or you take prescription medication. How much is too much?

If you are of legal age, and you are in good health, you can safely drink between seven and 14 alcoholic beverages per week. Women cannot metabolize as much alcohol as men, and in general, should not consume more than one or two drinks per day; men can have two drinks per day safely.

It’s important to understand that the seven-to-14-drink guideline doesn’t mean you can have seven or 14 drinks all at once. Not only will that lead to intoxication, binge drinking is closely associated with alcoholism, violence and serious health problems.

If you are an older adult, limit alcohol consumption to one drink per day. Mental and behavioral health disorders such as depression, bipolar and anxiety also put you at risk for developing a substance abuse problem if you drink. Plus, many prescription medications react negatively with alcohol, so make sure you check with your physician before you have your next glass of wine.

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Should Alcohol Be Banned? - 12 Keys (2024)

FAQs

Why alcohol should be banned? ›

Alcohol is as addictive as many illegal drugs. Alcohol is a contributing factor in many — if not most — violent crimes. Alcohol is proven to cause serious long-term health problems and is linked to numerous life-threatening diseases. Abusing alcohol can lead to addiction, a disease that can end in overdose and death.

Should drinking alcohol be banned essay? ›

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.

What are bad points about alcohol? ›

Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.

What are the pros and cons of prohibition? ›

Prohibition had benefits when it came to health and some areas of crime and public safety, but it had a negative impact on pleasure, freedom, and other areas of crime and safety.

Why did alcohol become illegal? ›

They aimed to heal what they saw as an ill society beset by alcohol-related problems such as alcoholism, family violence, and saloon-based political corruption. Many communities introduced alcohol bans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and enforcement of these new prohibition laws became a topic of debate.

Was alcohol ever banned? ›

January 19, 1919, Congress ratified the 18th Amendment, banning the manufacture, sale and transport of alcoholic beverages. However, there were no provisional funds for anything beyond token enforcement.

Why do people drink alcohol? ›

People like to drink alcohol because of its ability to alter emotional states. Alcohol induces euphoria, relaxation, and disinhibition while reducing stress and anxiety.

What is the meaning of alcohol ban? ›

Definition: Total ban of alcohol is defined as the governmental prohibition of production, transportation, sales and consumption of alcohol. Method of estimation: The national authorities of a given country respond to the WHO Global Survey on Alcohol and Health.

Is it moral to drink alcohol? ›

For some it is a matter of free choice, while for others it is a social poison. Some view it as a social lubricant and for many teenagers it is a rite of passage. The difficulty is deciding whether drinking should be condoned or condemned is, in part, because of the morally ambiguous environment in which we live.

Is one drink a day bad? ›

The cells lining your mouth and throat are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of alcohol. Even light alcohol consumption — up to one drink per day — is linked to a 20% increased risk of mouth and throat cancer ( 59 , 60 ). Your risk increases the more you consume.

Why is alcohol bad for kids? ›

Alcohol can affect your child's brain which continues to develop until their early twenties. Alcohol can negatively impact on your child's problem solving skills and performance at school as well as potentially affecting their body, mood and mental health.

Is one beer a day bad? ›

Limiting yourself to one alcoholic drink a day may not be enough to avoid detrimental impacts to your health, according to a new study co-authored by a Tulane University researcher.

What are 2 problems caused by Prohibition? ›

Prohibition was enacted to protect individuals and families from the “scourge of drunkenness.” However, it had unintended consequences including: a rise in organized crime associated with the illegal production and sale of alcohol, an increase in smuggling, and a decline in tax revenue.

Did Prohibition cause more crime? ›

The growth of the illegal liquor trade under Prohibition made criminals of millions of Americans. As the decade progressed, court rooms and jails overflowed, and the legal system failed to keep up.

Was Prohibition good or bad? ›

The stringent prohibition imposed by the Volstead Act, however, represented a more drastic action than many Americans expected. Nevertheless, National Prohibition succeeded both in lowering consumption and in retaining political support until the onset of the Great Depression altered voters' priorities.

Where is alcohol banned? ›

Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Mauritania, Libya, the Maldives, Iran, Kuwait, Brunei, and Bangladesh also have alcohol bans, as do some states in India (India is a Hindu-majority country but has a sizeable Muslim population).

Why is alcohol called spirits? ›

Some think it stems from the Arabic word al-ghawl, which means spirit in the demon sense. Others think it comes from the word al-koh'l, a word meaning to paint. Al-koh'l was used to refer to the black eyeliner popular in ancient times that was created through a chemical process similar to distilling.

Is alcohol a depressant? ›

Alcohol is a depressant, which can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in your brain and affect your feelings, thoughts and behaviour. Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so you may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink.

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