What is your opinion on Alcohol?

Question

I'm writing an argumentive essay on alcohol, its harmful effects, and why it should be banned from consumption. I would like to hear viewpoints from both sides of the issue. So, basically, if you agree that alcohol should be banned, why, or why not?

And I don't care what you drink or how much you drink, I'm asking WHY.

Thanks everyone, I received some wonderful responses. What bothers me the most is how a lot of people pointed out the fact that people will never stop drinking even if it is banned. I agree with you. It sickens me to see how weak the people in our society have come. I have personally had to deal with the effects of alcohol. My boyfriend's father is an alcoholic, my uncle was killed by a drunk driver, and I have a brother that attends AA meetings.

People in America are very weak. It is disgusting and humiliating that we all can't come together and get rid of a substance that does no good whatsoever. Those of you that are worried about your "freedoms," let me tell you this: you are absolutely ridiculous. Why would you want a freedom that would allow you to harm yourself and others.?

Answer 1

Pro:
Alcohol is a potentially addictive drug that ruins marriages, jobs, famlis, and lives. It's destructive

Alcohol Contributes to Crime, including child abuse an murder.

Drunk drivers cause many fatalities every day.

Consistncy in drug laws, if maruijuana is illegal, a drug that is non addicting and causes no violence, then why is alcohol legal

No alcohol means cops have better things to do

CONS:

Banning alcohol has not been realized, it would only result in criminating billions of people around the world and the rise of the largest black market ever.

People are violent by nature, making rape a crime does not stop rape, making drinking a crime does not stop drinking.\

Accidents causes by alcohol is declining, and even so, taking away a civil liberty from the nation is a greater crime.

Maurijuana should be legal, it's ricidiculous to outlaw it. We have legal alcohol guidelines, making it illegal would result in lawless and abusive use.

Alcohol is a global industry, putting it out of the world's market would result in millions of job loss, plunging the economy into strife.

Taking away alcohol would result in a large loss of sales tax and directly affect schools, and additionally will raise new crimes, traffickers, dealers and illegal drug users to new and insane rates.

Answer 2

I disagree with the premise that it is bad for you and therefore should be banned. I also disagree with any law banning it.
I don't think it should be banned simply because it is bad for you because it really is only bad for you in large amounts. While it is not really good for you, if you limit yourself, it won't do any real damage. It's like eating out for fast food. Every so often won't kill you, but every other meal just might. If worked into a healthy lifestyle, it cannot do that much harm. Another point to use is that medical studies have concluded that a glass of red wine a day (only one) can help with cholesterol problems.
Why there should not be a law against it is simple. Prohibition. It did not serve its purpose in the 1920's and it would not work now. Alcohol consumption actually rose during the time period, and it was a health concern because instead of FDA regulated beverages that had controls and standards, people were drinking alot of whatever crap was concoted in someone's bathtub. Additionally, the law created a mutli-billion dollar criminal industry that would never have existed without the amendment. Another counter argument is that our nation's law enforcement could not handle it even if there was the desire to outlaw alcohol. The same reasons came up when there was the vote in Congress on whether or not to make illegal immigrants felons instead of misdemeanor offenders. Our prisons are too full already and we could not handle the millions (it would be in the millions) of alcohol violators. Also, courts are backed up by years already and simply piling on more criminal cases will exaserbate the problem.
Ultimately, banning alcohol would never work in the U.S. we tried it once and it should not be tried again.

Answer 3

Alcohol should NOT be banned.

Reason: Like any drug that has economic significance as well as providing an escape from responsibility, successful enforcement of the ban is unlikely. It can be made at home with simple equipment from a variety of plentiful natural ingredients: corn, wheat, rye, potatoes, etc.
Compare it to sea water. We have oceans full of it. Consumption of sea water has no economic impact - drink all you want. There are no reasons to become addicted to sea water. Banning the consumption of sea water would be pointless - how would it be enforced? Removing access to sea water is completely impractical. I believe that the same principle applies to alcohol.
The fact that alcohol is taxed further frustrates enforcement since governmental budgets are supported by that tax, creating a dependency.

Second question: Why drink?
Actually I drink alcohol very little - maybe 2-3 drinks per year. It has a sedative effect on me from the start, so I don't get all happy from it. I do it for relaxation in the evening before going to bed, at home.

Answer 4

Alcohol has destroyed my life. My ex-husband was an alcoholic and when he was drunk he was mean. The drinking came before any bill and we were often moving.
I think bars are very dangerous places because when people are drunk they "THINK" they can drive. Drunk drivers kill! I wanted drinking banned( again) for many years.I think if bars were banned it could help to stop drunk driving. If the law makers could make it illegal to drink anywhere else but inside the home it could cut down on drunk driving accidents.I think that if a person has a party in there own home and then lets a party goer leave to drink and drive,they should be held just as responsible as the driver if the driver has an accident!

Answer 5

For the ban: Alcohol is easily abused and easily acessible. Alcoholics hurt those around them, psychologically and possibly physically, as alcohol impairs self-control and awareness, leading to rape, car crashes, and similar events.

Against the ban: Alcohol, in moderation, is actually GOOD for the body. Unlike cigarettes, which are a combination of tar and chemicals, alcohol is merely fermented fruit, not nearly as dangerous. Plus, there was a prohibition before, and that made matters worse.

Hope I helped.

Answer 6

It pains me to say this because I enjoy drinking it but I have always felt it should be banned. Besides using pure alcohol for sterilization(which you don't drink) there is no positive use for it. It is harmful to your body and people under the influence have diminished capacity of mind leading to injuries and death around them. It sounds a lot to me like most drugs that are illegal doesn't it. I have always believed that Alcohol and Tobacco should be banned or many certain drugs should be legalized. I am not a big fan of double standards.

Answer 7

People ought to be free to do most anything they want with their own bodies. Why not ban smoking cigarettes, eating Twinkies, watching too much TV, or anything else that is not good for us? Look at the harmful effects of the prohibition we already have in this country. Millions of people doing hard time for being drug users. Is our society benefiting from this? If you agree that it is, then let's lock up every person that does anything that could be considered harmful.

Answer 8

One of the main reasons it shouldn't be banned is that it's nobody's business what other people do as long as they aren't bothering anybody. Or lets just pick a small elite group of people to make all our decisions for us. What we eat, wear, drive, think, say, etc. A ban would not keep people from drinking, it would just cause more deaths due to poisoning, gang activity, and trigger happy police officers.

Answer 9

Alcohol is addictive and should be banned or limited. It has ruined many lives and families and also people's health. It has killed many people in auto accidents.

Prohibition was not actually a failure. Alcohol related deaths went way down. What killed it were lobbyists for the alcohol industry. Check for alcohol death statistics.

Answer 10

One of the biggest arguments against banning it is that we tried it before - during the Prohibition, and it was largely a failed policy. All it did was drive the liquor trade underground and caused a huge upswing in criminal and mob activity.

Some people jump on and extend this example into arguing that we should also legalize drugs. It's a very tough debate.

Besides, ugly people would NEVER get laid if it weren't for a good alcohol buzz.

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