Prohibition (18th Amendment)

First, it is important to note what the 18th amendment says. AMENDMENT XVIIISECTION 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. SECTION 2. The Congress and the several states shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. SECTION 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several states, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress. [1]Second, it is also important to note not only did state prohibit alcohol before the amendment, but afterwards too. ". .. just before the Volstead Act went into effect nationally, 27 states had enacted full prohibition laws" [2]. Some of those states even passed prohibition by state-wide referendum, such as in Oklahoma in 1907 [4]. The first prohibition law was passed in Tennessee on Jan 26, 1838 [3]. After Prohibition's repeal on December 5th, 1933 many states still had prohibition. Texas until 1935 North Carolina until 1937 Kansas until 1948 Oklahoma until 1959 Mississippi until 1966 Even today there are still many dry counties. "Nearly half of Mississippi's counties are dry; Kentucky isn't much better for alcohol lovers. Thirty counties are wet and 55 are bone-dry. The other 35 are considered "moist" -- they have some regulations but not complete prohibition. Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Kansas and Virginia also have a large proportion of dry counties" [5]. . http://news.bbcimg.co.uk...; />SourcedNow, to my opponents' claims.1. ConsumptionMy opponent claims that consumption increased after the 18th amendment. First, it is important to not that the 18th amendment didn't ban consumption only "the manufacture, sale, or transportation". Second, the truth is "Immediately after the 18th Amendment went into effect there was a dramatic decrease in alcohol consumption that made many advocates hopeful that it would be a success. In the early 20’s the consumption rate was 30% lower than it was before prohibition" [6], and "it took years after repeal before consumption rates reached those of pre-prohibition" [6]. 2. BudgetMy opponent mentions budget problems. In 1925 the middle of prohibition the federal government spent 3,623.3 million [7]. That means that "big" coast guard budget was 0.36% of the federal budget. An this isn't all prohibition enforcement. Further, during the 20s federal government spending actually decreased [8]. As seen the enforcement budget wasn't that much, which contributed to it's failure. "During the depression the funding was not there and with only 1,500 agents nationwide they could not compete with the tens of thousands of individuals who either wanted to drink or wanted to profit from others drinking" [6]. It was next to impossible to enforce due to lack of funding. Also "if alcohol were prohibited today, would our government be saving money on social, health care, and criminal justice costs? Probably" [20].3. Alcohol PoisoningThe increase of alcohol poisoning was due to a lack a safe sources for alcohol [2]. This is actually prove how prohibition was at least partially effective since there was no legal place to purchase alcohol. "The poor found that alcohol became more expensive, because of the shortness of legal supply, and therefore working-class consumption declined. The saloons themselves were closed, and thus a source of potential temptation to working-class drinking was removed" [2]. Also, just because people died of illegal substance doesn't mean we should legalize it.4. ObtainableThere has been many sources showing that consumption declined, so there may have been more place, but they were certainly smaller, more expensive place where most of the masses could not obtain alcohol.5. CrimeMy opponent mentions how crime was a problem. Crime did increase during prohibition, but crime was on the rise before prohibition [9]. Also, "Probably one of the most popular ideas of the time was that the mob held control of the majority of the illegal liquor trafficking. For the most part this is untrue, although in concentrated areas gangsters did run the liquor racket" [6]. Further, this ignores the point that a majority of states had prohibition before the national ban went into effect. It is true that prohibition did add some to the crime rate, but it was little, and many other factors contributed to the rise in crime rates more. Also, The consumption of alcohol can be directly related to violent crimes. "40% of state prisoners convicted of violent crimes were under the influence of alcohol at the time of their offense − the more violent the crime, the greater the likelihood that alcohol was involved" [10]. Concluding, Alcohol causes lots of violent crimes and prohibition would reduce this crime. There are good reasons to support prohibition too.6. HealthAlcohol has been linked to a multitude of long term diseases including Anemia, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Cirrhosis, Dementia, Depression, Seizures, Gout, High blood pressure, Infectious diseases, Nerve damage, and Pancreatitis. [11] There are also short term health effects too such as Unintentional injuries, Violence, Risky sexual behaviors, Miscarriages, and Alcohol poisoning. [12] There is annually 2.5 Million Alcohol-Related Deaths Worldwide. [13] There is even a website that counts alcohol related deaths. [14] Alcohol is also the most harmful drug. [15] With less health problems, health care cost would go down. During Prohibition there were significant positive effects. "Alcohol use decreased, cirrhosis of the liver was down 66% in men, and public drunkenness was halved. " [19] Also increased savings, better provided and happier homes, and responsible citizenship. [20] Concluding, Alcohol should not be legal because of all the terrible health effects. 7. Addiction"National Institutes of Health report that 15% of the people living in the United States are considered 'problem drinkers. '"[16] Alcohol is a very addictive substance. Addiction can easily ruin people’s lives, including their jobs, their friends, their families, and obviously themselves too. "Approximately 30% of people in the U. S. report experiencing an alcohol disorder at one point in their lifetime. " [16] In conclusion, alcohol should not be legal because of the severe addictiveness of it.8. Drunk Driving"Over 1.2 million drivers were arrested in 2011 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics" [17] Drunk driving is a terrible occurrence. It doesn't help that children have easy access to alcohol. "According to the 2010 Monitoring the Future Study 89% of 12th graders, 78% of 10th graders, and 59% of 8th graders getting alcohol would be "fairly easy" or "very easy" for them to get alcohol. " [18] Victims of drunk driving would have been at an extremely less chance of being a victim if alcohol was illegal because making things illegal decreases access to it. Sources[1] . http://www.law.cornell.edu...[2] . http://iantyrrell.wordpress.com...[3] . http://www.history.com...[4] . http://ballotpedia.org...(September_1907)[5] . http://history.howstuffworks.com...[6] . http://cocktails.about.com...[7] . http://www.usgovernmentspending.com...[8] . http://www.usgovernmentspending.com...[9] . http://www.cato.org...[10] . http://www.alcoholandcrime.org...[11] . http://www.webmd.com...[12] . http://www.cdc.gov...[13] . http://www.ncadd.org...[14] . http://www.worldometers.info...[15] . http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org...[16] . http://www.alcoholaddiction.info...[17] . http://www.madd.org...[18] . http://www.centurycouncil.org...[19] . http://www.phoenixhouse.org...[20] . http://www.jstor.org...;