That this house would ban alcohol

Hi there, this is just a school debate so i was wondering if you could give me some feedback about what I've done well and areas i could work on if you have the time. thank you so much. ‘THAT THIS HOUSE WOULD BAN ALCOHOL' DEBATE Good Afternoon my name is Kathryn and I am the first speaker for the affirming team and today my team and I are affirming the moot ‘that this house would ban alcohol'. I as our first speaker will define the moot as well as speaking to you about the addictive properties of alcohol and the fact it is a legal drug. I will also cover the abuse and violent crimes that result from the consumption of alcohol. Hannah Bartlett our second speaker will further convince you of the moot by telling you of the effects alcohol have on communities and within families as well as talking about the social culture that has developed around drinking alcohol in New Zealand. Hannah will also cover the dangers of drink driving especially in New Zealand. Emily Moore our third speaker will rebut all points made by the negating and will address the fact that alcoholism can be passed on through generations as well as backing up our main points. We, the affirming team take the moot ‘ that this house would ban alcohol' to mean ‘this house' is us and our peers and all teenagers, ban to mean to prohibit or forbid and alcohol to be an intoxicating drug. Alcohol is one of the world's most harmful, destructive and easily accessed drug. Heroin, marijuana and cocaine are all illegal in New Zealand today partly because they are dangerous and partly because they serve no useful medical purpose but what about alcohol shouldn't it also be banned on the same grounds as Heroin, marijuana and cocaine? Alcohol like all drugs is addictive but unlike some of the actually illegal drugs out there it is completely destructive to the human mind and body. As a result of alcohols addictive qualities many average everyday people lose their marriages, families, jobs and careers. A huge number of homeless people are in that position as a result of their alcoholism. Short term effects of any alcohol consumed are impaired judgement and coordination which can lead the drinker to unsafely operate a car, memory loss, vomiting, hangovers, blackouts, reduced inhibitions and nausea. The longer a person abuses alcohol the closer they are to becoming addicted. Some long term effects of alcohol can include liver cancer, an increased risk of breast cancer in woman, memory loss, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and many more. Why is it accepted in our drinking culture that we should and can drink alcohol and the effects of this on our lives are relevant or won't personally affect us? Any drug that is this destructive and harmful should be illegal. Statistics also show that humans' brains are not fully developed until they reach the age of 25, by allowing those from 18 years old onwards legally allowed to drink alcohol we are hindering the growth and development of the young people of our country. Because of this most will not reach their full potential. Until young people are 25 they have not reached the full level of maturity and judgement, given that they are not able to completely and rationally judge things until they are that age it is not at all helping them by allowing them to drink alcohol which further impairs judgement. 40% percent of child maltreatment involves the parent abusing alcohol. Drunken individuals are 6 times more likely to commit an act of violence than those who are sober. Shouldn't these facts and statistics have already resulted in alcohol in New Zealand being banned? We the affirming team believe the answer to this question is yes they should have. In New Zealand the consumption and abuse of alcohol are closely related with crime, manslaughter and murder. In over 50% of the homicides in New Zealand the offenders are affected by alcohol. At report done for the Zealand Police looking into the extent alcohol and drugs played in driver deaths found that 72% had used alcohol, drugs or a combination of alcohol and drugs which had resulted in their deaths Lately news items in New Zealand such as the young boy who died as a result of drinking too much alcohol are showing that New Zealanders are not drinking alcohol responsibly and are abusing our alcohol related laws. Continuous reports of fatalities on our roads caused by drink drivers