Arguments Against Prohibition

“on January 17, 1920, at the stroke of midnight, the whole of America officially went dry” (81) America made it illegal for the manufacturing and sale of alcohol with the passing of the 18th amendment. For thirteen years, there was a prohibition on alcohol in America, but this did not stop the American citizens from consuming alcohol. This brought upon the “roaring twenties,” as during prohibition was something not highly tolerated by most Americans. People went from law-abiding citizens to brewing moonshine, becoming rum-runners, and frequenting speakeasies. Druggists, who could dispense “medicinal quantities” of alcohol, found their customer base exploding overnight. where people would get together in illegal night clubs and drink profusely.

But, when looked at as a lesson for America it had substantial benefits and in that term, is considered successful. Seeing that putting a ban on alcohol created more criminal activity, where gangs would pay off the police to keep their illegal business running. We can now say that it is a poor decision to rely on the law to solve the nation’s drug problems. With this being said, the government continues to keep other drugs prohibited which continues crime rate and corruption in those categories. What if the government made all drugs legal for creation and sale, wouldn’t this stop all the corrupt activity involving police and gangs? Wouldn’t this eliminate the murder rate between drug lords? Just like when alcohol was banned people are still going to find a way to consume and sell drugs so why make it illegal. Knowing that prohibition failed, this should prove that we could do the exact opposite with all drugs. Making something illegal doesn’t eliminate its life. You could argue that alcohol is a much safer drug than for example cocaine, and that if cocaine were to be legalized that for those who consume the drug would commit more crimes and murders of their own. But who’s to say that’s the outcome without the “experiment” its self. Until proven otherwise, assumptions about illegal drugs cannot be