People have divergent opinions on alcohol consumption
People have divergent opinions on what should be banned and what should not. Some people bilevel that alcohol should be banned since it kills many people and affects families and others citing that alcohol consumption has no benefits. Various scholars have cited that alcohol consumption has become common among the college students with projections revealing that most of the consumers are likely to suffer alcohol-related impacts such as deaths associated with drinking and driving, liver cirrhosis, cancers, and heart diseases (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism par. 2). Alcohol is a legal product available in most liquor stores. Traditionally, alcohol consumption is widely accepted in most occasions including family gatherings and leisure. Nonetheless, people have misused these traditions leading to addictions. Different surveys have revealed that alcohol consumers not only affect their families but also the society at large. Even though most people are for the idea that alcohol should be banned, others think that it should not be citing that it could be used responsibly to prevent some of the serious negative impacts.
Health hazards of alcohol consumption
Alcohol contains ethanol as one of the ingredients used in making the beverages. Most consumers are for the idea that moderate consumption of alcohol assists in reducing stress, increases happiness level, and the risk associated with coronary heart diseases. Nevertheless, they forget that alcohol is a depressant that causes addition if consumed uncontrollably. Siegfried et al. (125) noted that medical practitioners have studied and concluded that alcohol controls the central nervous system of the body and slow down various body functions through altering the functionality of the brain which in turns causes hallucination, anxiety, and other psychological challenges associated with alcohol consumption. Although most people also advocate for the legalization of alcohol consumption especially to the older population due to its economic contribution, especially on revenue collection, health care practitioners have noted with great concerns dangers of alcohol misuse among the teenagers during entertainment.
Negative effects of alcohol consumption
Alcohol is not air or water needed for survival on the earth. Alcohol consumed in considerable amount is healthy although most consumers are unable to limit themselves to a considerable amount of alcohol once they start consuming. Most young people take alcohol without thinking of the repercussions (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism par. 5). As a result, they end up drinking and driving which leads to death or undergo sexual assaults for the ladies. Careful analysis of alcohol consumption has made it clear that it brings no benefit to the society. Rather, it leads to addiction. At that stage, it becomes a health hazard that impairs judgements when consumed in extreme amount. Moreover, there is no reason that most people consumed alcohol except as an escape route or lowering their inhibitions. When most people are unable to think or under pressure, they consider alcohol to be the best medicine. They do not understand that the negative effects are more than positive effects. Others, especially the peers, end up consuming alcohol due to peer influence.
Religious and social impacts of alcohol consumption
The debate on alcohol consumption has much to do with religion and traditional belief system. The Christians consider alcohol consumption a sin but states and investors view it as a source of revenue and business opportunity respectively. Alcohol is behind most of the violent crimes that occur in most states. Additionally, it has made it difficult for the middle-class to enhance their quality of life. Addiction to alcohol disorients families since most consumers, especially the addicted, sacrifice even to the last coin they have just to have a taste of alcohol (Siegfried et al. 132). As a result, it has become responsible nearly all the cases of domestic abuse and broken families. Preliminary research into the issue revealed that alcohol production and distribution create several opportunities and jobs for people. Banning alcohol consumption means there would be no production and in terms of employment, most people would be rendered jobless. If the government enact laws and regulations that ensure sensible and responsible consumption, then alcohol consumption would provide heavy taxes and duty and not cause harm to the consumers. Alcohol also has health impacts especially for those with hypertension.
Considerations and alternatives
Although there are many downsides to alcohol use, many consumers have maintained a casual attitude towards alcohol consumption. There are cases where those who feel shy "come out of their shells" after alcohol consumption. For most people, being under the influence of alcohol is a critical part of being social. Most young people drink alcohol to heighten their feelings of pleasure which allow them to be more social, free up their mind, and have fun with others. In addition, others also drink because they love the taste. With the ability of alcohol to alter the mind and make people relax, it is not surprising to see most young people drink (Siegfried et al. 130). However, those for the idea that alcohol consumption should be banned have noted the need t consider alternatives to drinking. There are many relaxation techniques that exist to assist people to reduce their stress and clear their minds instead of consuming alcohol. Activities considered to reduce stress include yoga, massages, and enjoying hobbies. Psychotherapy and other medications might assist to deal with increased shyness among the young adults.
History of alcohol prohibition and conclusion
In other recommendations, most people argue that there is need to think about few people who do not abuse alcohol but rather use it for entertainment and relaxing purposes and if the governments are to assist alcohol consumers and their families, then they should focus on community education on the dangers associated with abusive alcohol consumption. According to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, despite people advocating for the need to ban alcohol consumption, history has proved that banning alcohol is impossible (par. 3). For example, the ban was imposed in 1920 in the United States which led to the creation of the Eighteenth Amendment and the enactment of the Volstead Act. The aims of these regulations were to ensure the end of alcohol sale and distribution. The law became popular but alcohol was still available in the bars, clubs, and restaurants. In addition, most people have lost their careers, broken their families, and disoriented their plans due to addiction to alcohol. Some studies have analyzed long-term effects associated with alcohol consumption with most conclusion suggesting that it causes body damage.
Weighing the negative impacts of alcohol consumption
In conclusion, it is evident that there are numerous effects associated with alcohol consumption: negative and positive. Nonetheless, the negative impacts outweigh the positive impacts. Even with the negative impacts, alcohol is still a legal drug and acceptable by law with minimal restrictions prohibiting young people from the consumption and adults from driving under the influence of alcohol. From the foregoing analysis, alcohol consumption should be banned and the government enact strict laws that aim to protect innocent people from suffering. The benefits of alcohol consumption are limited but the consequences associated with misuse are many and cause detrimental effects to not only the consumers but also their families and community at large.
Works Cited
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "Alcohol's Effects on the Body | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) |, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2014, www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body. Accessed 16 Apr. 2018.
Siegfried, Nandi, et al. "Restricting or banning of alcohol advertising to reduce alcohol consumption in adults and adolescents." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, vol. 5, no. 4, 2013, pp. 122-145.
