Alcohol Should be Illegal - Essay Example

If I had the power to change one law in the society, I would make consumption of alcohol illegal. I believe that alcohol is one of the deadliest and most addictive recreational drugs. However, it is legal and easily accessible. Although it is fun to consume and can make someone relaxed, millions of people die each year across the world because of alcohol-related causes. In addition, alcohol causes a wide range of social problems such as domestic violence and disintegration of families. Alcohol should be made illegal because of its negative effects such as health problems, alcohol-related accidents, and destabilization of families. A notable reason why alcohol should be illegal is the health problems that it causes. Health issues resulting from alcohol consumption is quite alarming. According to NIAAA (the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), alcohol can induce brain malfunction by disrupting the brains communication pathways in a way that affects a persons mood and behavior. By extension, this can cause brain damage and subsequent memory loss. Alcohol can also cause liver problems, heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and cancer in moderate drinkers. Alcoholism and excessive drinking are progressive, chronic, and often fatal conditions. Also, people who drink heavily and the abruptly stop usually suffer from unpleasant alcohol withdrawal symptoms. They include shakiness, irritability, depression, anxiety, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, sweating, headaches, loss of appetite, and insomnia. In serious cases, the symptoms can escalate to disorientation, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, and seizures. No one would enjoy experiencing such unpleasant health effects. An effective way of avoiding them would be to make alcohol illegal. In addition, there are numerous other ways in which consumption of alcohol can be detrimental to peoples health. When alcoholics go on a drinking spree, it is difficult for them to regulate the amount they drink, know when to stop, or figure out the consequences of their actions. More than two and a half million people die every year across the world as a result of alcohol-related causes. Roughly four percent of deaths worldwide are linked to alcohol. A certain study showed that the substance is more dangerous when compared to cocaine and heroin, and causes more fatalities than the two drugs combined. Ironically, these two drugs are illegal while alcohol is allowed.

Another reason why alcohol should be made illegal is that it increases the risks of various types of accidents, especially those caused by driving under the influence. Drinking can make someone susceptible to minor accidents as well as more serious ones. Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the brains activities while also affecting the bodys reflexes and responses. Also, when someone is intoxicated, he or she is more likely to engage in risky behavior. All these factors combined increase the likelihood of accidents occurring. As the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream increases, the feeling that an individual experiences can have adverse effects. It can make people overestimate their own capabilities, causing them to behave in a reckless manner. The amount is referred to as blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and is influenced by various factors. They include the quantity of alcohol consumed, the speed at which it is drunk, the individuals body size, gender, the amount of food consumed, and even the persons emotional health. The higher the BAC, the more the likelihood of accidents occurring. Consumption of alcohol can slow down reactions, impede vision and hearing, upset the sense of co-ordination and balance, affect reasoning and judgment, and make an individual feel sleepy and thus lose concentration. For those driving, alcohol can make them experience a double or blurred vision while also minimizing their ability to observe distant objects. It can also undermine drivers ability to observe what is happening around them, cause them to lose their peripheral vision, and also reduce night vision by a significant percentage.

Alcohol can lead to problems in interpersonal relationships. It can cause conflicts with parents, siblings, spouses, friends, colleagues, and workmates. When an individual has a drinking problem, the craving to consume alcohol becomes the most crucial aspect of his or her life. Many such people believe that they are only hurting themselves and no one else. However, this is usually not the case since alcoholism can have a devastating effect on all family members. There are several subtle ways to which it can affect the family. A good example is if the home has young children. The person who consumes alcohol is passing a message to them that substance abuse is the only deal with lifes difficulties and problems. It is definitely not the way to cope and can increase the likelihood of an addiction being passed from the current generation to the subsequent one. Also, alcohol is a well-known cause of domestic violence. Spouse and child abuse are often blamed on the offender being intoxicated. There is also the financial aspect of alcohol consumption that extends beyond what an individual spends on purchasing drinks. Most people who consume alcohol are also addicted to other substances such as cigarettes, which only add to the cost. While intoxicated, a person may lose money or accumulate large bills purchasing drinks for friends or colleagues. Other financial issues can also result from excessive consumption of alcohol. The person may have a hard time holding on to a source of income since his or her life has become too dominated by drinking. As the alcohol abuse escalates, there is more likelihood that the individual will be unable to pay bills such as rent and household expenses.

It is clear that alcohol is a threat to human beings and the society at large. It causes a wide range of health problems that result in millions of deaths across the world. Influence of the substance is responsible for various accidents; especially those related to traffic that also cause many fatalities. It is also a known fact that alcohol leads to the disintegration of families and damaged interpersonal relationships. One way all these threats to human wellbeing can be mitigated is by banning alcohol. If I had my way in the society, I would definitely make the sale and consumption of alcohol illegal. Such a change of law would save millions of lives across the world while also promoting prosperity and high life expectancy. All in all, I understand that outlawing alcohol is impractical and likely to cause a lot of backlashes. I am aware it has been tried before but did not achieve much success. If it is not possible to make alcohol illegal, a recommended alternative would be to enforce stringent rules against underage drinking and encouraging responsible consumption.