Should alcohol be illegal?

[Junker P Hoodwink]

Serious question: should alcohol be illegal? As someone who used to have a terrible—and indeed dangerous—alcoholism problem, I would say yes. I used to drink and drink and drink, and I would never stop. There would even be times when I would go on multi-day drinking binges and consume 20 drinks a day for three or four days until taking a break. I had a horrific problem with alcohol, as do so many people today, and it needs to be illegal.

The Prohibition days seemed like some sort of throw-back puritanical code from a bygone era. The truth, though, is that Prohibition advocates were right despite their unpopularity. Why? Well, just go to a Google news search and type in “drunk driver fatality,” and you will see an abundance of reports where a drunk driver killed a pedestrian or other driver because of his drinking. None of these accidents would have taken place had alcohol been illegal.

My anti-alcohol views do not stem from my religion. Even Jesus drank wine during the Last Supper. But it’s not like they had cars back then.

 

[Not David]

Serious question: should alcohol be illegal? As someone who used to have a terrible—and indeed dangerous—alcoholism problem, I would say yes. I used to drink and drink and drink, and I would never stop. There would even be times when I would go on multi-day drinking binges and consume 20 drinks a day for three or four days until taking a break. I had a horrific problem with alcohol, as do so many people today, and it needs to be illegal.

The Prohibition days seemed like some sort of throw-back puritanical code from a bygone era. The truth, though, is that Prohibition advocates were right despite their unpopularity. Why? Well, just go to a Google news search and type in “drunk driver fatality,” and you will see an abundance of reports where a drunk driver killed a pedestrian or other driver because of his drinking. None of these accidents would have taken place had alcohol been illegal.

My anti-alcohol views do not stem from my religion. Even Jesus drank wine during the Last Supper. But it’s not like they had cars back then.

Isn't that preventing Christians from celebrating Communion?

 

[Junker P Hoodwink]

Isn't that preventing Christians from celebrating Communion?

The Eucharist can be celebrated with juice in lieu of wine.

 

[Not David]

The Eucharist can be celebrated with juice in lieu of wine.

Does the Catholic Church allow that?

 

[Junker P Hoodwink]

Does the Catholic Church allow that?

I don't think so. But if alcohol were illegal, they would have to find an acceptable substitute for wine such as juice.

 

[Dansiph]

Serious question: should alcohol be illegal? As someone who used to have a terrible—and indeed dangerous—alcoholism problem, I would say yes. I used to drink and drink and drink, and I would never stop. There would even be times when I would go on multi-day drinking binges and consume 20 drinks a day for three or four days until taking a break. I had a horrific problem with alcohol, as do so many people today, and it needs to be illegal.

The Prohibition days seemed like some sort of throw-back puritanical code from a bygone era. The truth, though, is that Prohibition advocates were right despite their unpopularity. Why? Well, just go to a Google news search and type in “drunk driver fatality,” and you will see an abundance of reports where a drunk driver killed a pedestrian or other driver because of his drinking. None of these accidents would have taken place had alcohol been illegal.

My anti-alcohol views do not stem from my religion. Even Jesus drank wine during the Last Supper. But it’s not like they had cars back then.

Mainly because I don't think it would "work", no. However I sympathise because of my experiences with marijuana. I think it should stay and be illegal (marijuana).

I don't drink alcohol btw but I would use some method of discouragment rather than making it illegal. Knowledge about the dangers if given correctly can work. So can (imo) harsher punishment for drink driving etc. But not prison in most cases. Just my thoughts

 

[Arcangl86]

It's already illegal to drink and drive. And Probation, and the modern War on Drugs, have shown that a ban will just create a illegal black market, and the violence associated with it.

 

[Junker P Hoodwink]

It's already illegal to drink and drive. And Probation, and the modern War on Drugs, have shown that a ban will just create a illegal black market, and the violence associated with it.

I already know that making alcohol illegal will create an underground black market for alcoholic beverages. That’s what happened during Prohibition. But still, doesn’t it make alcohol more difficult to get?

 

[SkyWriting]

Serious question: should alcohol be illegal? As someone who used to have a terrible—and indeed dangerous—alcoholism problem, I would say yes. I used to drink and drink and drink, and I would never stop.

Don't do that. It'll kill you.
Try Pot. You can get similar results but taking too much is very hard.

 

[Junker P Hoodwink]

Don't do that. It'll kill you.

It was killing me. That’s why I quit and regularly attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Laws are only enforceable if a small enough minority breaks them. Large minorities and majorities cannot be stopped. Making a law that cannot be enforced only weakens the governmental system, overall. It also opens the door to the corruption of highly selective enforcement.

 

[SWIll]

The Bible doesn't say not to drink, it says to avoid drunkenness. Kind of a Romans 14 thing.

 

[SkyWriting]

It was killing me. That’s why I quit and regularly attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

AA meetings help you start new habits. Habits like not drinking.
Keep up the good habits. Higher blood pressure can last for days
after one binge. There are lots of reason to avoid the old habit.
Pick one that works for you. I monitor my blood pressure
and about 1/4 a glass is all the higher I want my BP to raise.
So that's all I drink.

 

[rockytopva]

Research “Prohibition” it did help...

Prohibition in the United States - Wikipedia

 

[Aryeh Jay]

We tried once, lots of people died.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

You have a problem and want to punish everyone who enjoys alcohol responsibly. You sound like a Democrat.

 

[Junker P Hoodwink]

You have a problem and want to punish everyone who enjoys alcohol responsibly. You sound like a Democrat.

The problem is that a lot of people can’t drink alcohol responsibility. I know I can’t. If I drink one drink, I always want another, then another, and another. I don’t stop until I’m too tired to drink anymore. Then I just wait until the tiredness subsides, then begin drinking again. My problem is horrible, and so many others—in fact, I would say millions of others—have this same problem.

 

[Shawn Stuart]

I drink a little wine every day so I hope that alcohol doesn’t become illegal.

 

[Phronema]

More laws won't stop people it'll only make more of them criminals. The fact is just because some people have problems with something it doesn't mean it should be illegal. So much for the land of the free, eh?

 

[whereloveandmercymeet]

While I sympathise with people who have problems with alcohol, I don’t think making it illegal is right for the many many people who drink in moderation and don’t drink drive.

It’s not the only danger out there. People take illegal drugs and become hooked and also drive on them. They are already illegal and people do it and they aren’t too hard to access, sadly.

Not to mention people who abuse prescription medication or over the counter medicine (cough medicine and antisick medicines used to be a common one). We can’t legislate everything. It’s better to try and educate and make sure we have lots of options for people who do get into these issues to get out. Certainly where I am lots of people say that they try quitting themselves but need help and the help is in short supply.

Really I think we need good education about things, to own our own actions and to have good accessible help for those who do encounter issues.