Alcohol Prohibition In The 1920's

The alcohol prohibition in 1920 was the ratification of the 18th amendment, which banned the manufacturing, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors. One of the driving forces for making Alcohol illegal was women. It became legal for women to vote in 1920 and one of the first things they advocated for was the ban on alcohol, it was believed that intoxicating drinkings were “Destructive force in families and marriages” (History, PROHIBITION). While women were the driving force of passing the law they were not the wasn't the only reason why the alcohol became illegal; “ When the law went into effect, they expected sales of clothing and household goods to skyrocket. Real estate developers and landlords expected rents to rise as saloons closed and neighborhoods improved. Chewing gum, grape juice, and soft drink companies all expected growth. Theater producers expected new crowds as Americans looked for new ways to entertain themselves without alcohol. None of it came to pass” (Lerner, Unintended Consequences). Initially, people saw a positive change in their communities, but that did not last long. The Prohibition of alcohol brought about a negative change; Organize crime

It is shocking to see that although we have already tried this approach we are trying it again. The similarities between the prohibition of alcohol and the war on drugs is something that can not be denied. Much like today, in the 1920’s you could see a raise in the population of people who went to prison, organise crime, and the amount of people who actually use the drugs. People lost their jobs because of alcohol just like people lose their jobs because of drugs. People found new ways to get alcohol just like today people found new ways to get their hands on drugs. Just like eighty years ago people with addiction or who abuse sustains do not receive the proper help they