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5 Reasons Why Alcohol Should Be Illegal Or Banned

• 1. Addictive
• 2. Harmful To Health
• 3. Compromises Judgement
• 4. Gateway Drug
• 5. Doesn't Solve Anything
• Treatment For Alcohol Abuse

From 1920 to 1933, the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages was illegal in the United States. 

The Prohibition movement ended in failure, and today there are a range of economic, social, and cultural reasons why alcohol remains available for adult purchase and consumption.

But, just because alcohol is legal, highly accessible, and celebrated does not mean that it cannot be harmful.

Here are five arguments that can be made for why alcohol should still be illegal in the United States.

1. Alcohol Is Addictive

Alcohol is a drug. It’s a central nervous system depressant with psychoactive properties, and it is addictive.

How addictive alcohol is depends on the individual, their genetics and upbringing, and other social and environmental factors. 

But, according to a 2015 study funded by the National Institutes of Health, 29.1% of Americans will meet the criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder at some point in their lives, and 13.9% met the criteria in the previous year.

Heavy drinkers may develop physical dependence, leading to potentially severe or even life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if you stop drinking all at once. These symptoms can include tremors, blood pressure changes, trouble sleeping, hallucinations, and seizures.

And for those who do stop, maintaining sobriety is often a lifelong struggle.

2. Alcohol Abuse Is Harmful To Your Health

Alcohol overdose ( alcohol poisoning ) can be fatal. If too much alcohol is absorbed from the digestive system into the bloodstream following binge drinking , heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature can fall to dangerous levels, causing brain damage and organ failure.

But, this isn’t the only way that alcohol causes harm.

Long-term, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious health issues including high blood pressure , heart disease , liver disease , cancer , dementia , depression, and anxiety.

Alcohol also has devastating negative effects when consumed by pregnant mothers. Even drinking only a moderate amount of alcohol can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome or a greatly increased risk of miscarriage or serious developmental issues.  

3. Use Of Alcohol Compromises Judgement

Many of us have stories of the adventures and mistakes we’ve made under the influence of alcohol. But too often, given its ability to suppress one’s inhibitions, the over-consumption of alcohol ends in stark tragedy.

In particular, binge drinking is commonly associated with cases of:

• drunk driving and car accidents
• domestic violence
• financial imprudence
• violent crime
• other severe accidents

And in the long term, heavy drinking can erode your relationships with family members, deaden your ability to feel pleasure from natural sources, and steal your motivation to study, work, and prosper.

4. Alcohol Is A Gateway Drug

A gateway substance is one that leads to the abuse of harder/more harmful drugs.

According to a 2012 investigation, alcohol, not tobacco or marijuana, is the primary gateway drug leading to other substances and illegal drug use among underage Americans.

And, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health, 55.3% of high school seniors (all under legal drinking age) have used alcohol in the past year.

This figure is especially concerning because, as with cannabis, alcohol use is known to have harmful developmental effects on children and teenagers, negatively impacting problem solving and memory. 

5. Alcohol Does Not Solve The Real Issues In Your Life

Many who drink alcohol do so as an escape, to mask negative feelings of stress, depression, or anxiety with intoxication and artificial feelings of well-being.

But abusing alcohol only makes these issues worse in the long run. 

As alcohol use and dependence escalate, they can lead to a spiral of increasingly negative feelings and compulsive substance abuse with no easy way out. This may continue until you’re drinking alcohol because you feel like you have to, not because you want to.

Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder

If you struggle with problematic drinking, help is available.  

Substance abuse treatment centers host programs that can help you:

• safely detox and manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms
• address co-occurring mental health disorders including anxiety and depression
• develop stress-management and coping mechanisms to help maintain your sobriety
• consider why you’ve had difficulties with drinking in the past and make helpful changes to those feelings and thought processes
• connect with others also working through the rehabilitation process, for mutual support and encouragement

For more information regarding inpatient or outpatient alcohol use disorder treatment programs , including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) , please contact us today.

Written by Ark Behavioral Health Editorial Team

©2024 ark national holdings, llc. | all rights reserved., this page does not provide medical advice..

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Alcohol Use and Your Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - NIH study finds alcohol use disorder on the increase National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - What are symptoms of alcohol use disorder? PubMed - Alcohol as a gateway drug: a study of US 12th graders PubMed - Harmful Alcohol Use

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Is drinking good for you in any way? If not, why is alcohol legal for adults?

Associate Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine; Weiner Hailey Family Professor, Tufts University

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Margie Skeer receives funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and from the AB InBev Foundation.

Tufts University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation US.

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Is alcohol consumption of any benefit to humans? If not, why aren’t we thinking about banning it forever? – Lamiah S., Kerala, India

Scientists have been trying to figure out whether alcoholic beverages can be good for your health for a long time, often reaching contradictory conclusions .

What is clear is that wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages can be bad for you for many reasons. That’s especially true for people who frequently drink heavily .

The effects of drinking alcohol , which is made by fermenting the sugars found in grapes, barley, potatoes and other plants, vary according to how much someone consumes. Other factors, such as how much food people eat ahead of time or how much they weigh, also play a role.

Drinking too much in a short period of time can make someone drunk and more likely to get injured – whether by falling down, crashing a car or getting into a fight. Alcohol poisoning , also known as alcohol overdose, is one instance of how excessive drinking can be deadly.

When people frequently drink too much, their bodies start to depend on alcohol, and then their brains give them signals to want to drink most of the time. This is called having an alcohol use disorder , which is the medical term for alcoholism or being addicted to alcohol. They can also develop other long-term problems, such as liver disease . Research has also found very strong links between alcohol and cancer , even at lower levels of drinking.

When teens and young adults frequently drink too much, it can change their brains – possibly making them less inhibited and more impulsive .

However, for many years, experts believed that drinking small amounts of alcohol boosts adult health. Some studies suggested that a few glasses of wine every week might reduce the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease – a common cause of memory loss and dementia. However, many factors can offset any possible benefits , and other researchers have reached contradictory findings .

About two-thirds of U.S. adults drink alcoholic beverages. Most consume them in moderation , meaning one or fewer standard drinks per day for women and two or fewer for men .

However, there are about 95,000 alcohol-related deaths each year in this country , and the number of deaths is rising . More scientists are saying now that any amount of alcohol can harm human health .

Why it’s legal

The main reason why alcohol remains legal in the U.S. – despite mounting evidence of the harm it can cause – is that banning it a century ago failed.

In 1920, following passage of the Constitution’s 18th Amendment , the federal government prohibited the making, shipping and sale of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition , as this time was known, responded in large part to concerns that drinking caused family strife, as well as other reasons like reducing worker productivity.

Prohibition initially helped reduce alcohol consumption . But it also bolstered the illegal liquor trade. This practice, called “ bootlegging ,” created new problems.

National alcohol prohibition ended in 1933 with the passage of the 21st Amendment . Some states continued to ban liquor for decades, and to this day many local restrictions are in effect.

Even though alcohol is legal for adults, children and teens should completely avoid alcoholic beverages . Generally people should also not start drinking alcohol because they think it might be good for their health . And adults who choose to drink should do so in moderation and understand the risks.

After all, drinking alcohol isn’t the only unhealthy habit that could have some benefits. For example, cake and ice cream are high in calories and low in nutrients. Yet many people enjoy eating sweet things that taste good, and having a little dessert sometimes is generally not harmful in small amounts .

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Alcoholism — Discussion on the Alcoholism and Why Alcohol Should Be Illegal

Discussion on The Alcoholism and Why Alcohol Should Be Illegal

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Published: Mar 18, 2021

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4 Reasons Why Alcohol Should Be Banned Or Illegal

Medically Reviewed By: Kimberly Langdon, M.D.

Although drinking alcohol is a popular activity, it can have serious consequences. That’s why some people think it should be banned. Banning alcohol could result in fewer alcohol-related accidents and crimes, and also reduce the rate of alcohol-induced health problems like alcohol addiction.

• Alcohol Causes Accidents
• Alcohol Causes Crime
• Alcohol Harms Your Health
• Alcohol Is Addictive

Alcohol is the most popular drug in the United States. Unfortunately, drinking alcohol can have serious consequences, especially if you drink too much. About 19% of Americans struggle with excessive drinking (also called alcohol abuse ). Among Ohio residents, that rate jumps to 20.2%. 

Because drinking can lead to alcohol abuse and other issues, some people think the drug should be banned. Here are four reasons why banning alcohol could benefit public health . 

1. Alcohol Causes Accidents

Alcohol impairs your judgment and coordination. It also lowers your inhibitions, making you more likely to engage in risky behaviors. That’s why people who drink face a higher risk of burns, falls, drownings, and other accidents. 

Alcohol is also a leading cause of motor vehicle crashes. In 2017, 405 Ohio residents died in alcohol-related car accidents . You’re more likely to experience an alcohol-related crash if you binge drink. 

Binge drinking occurs when your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reaches 0.08 percent or higher. Most women reach this BAC after having 4 or more drinks in about 2 hours, and most men reach it after having 5 or more drinks in about 2 hours. 

A “drink” is any alcoholic beverage that contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of liquor. 

Banning alcohol could make it harder for people to binge drink and reduce the number of lives lost to alcohol-related car crashes and other accidents. 

2. Alcohol Causes Crime

Because alcohol impairs your judgment and lowers your inhibitions, it makes you more likely to commit various crimes, such as trespassing, vandalism, and theft. 

Theft is particularly common among people with alcohol addiction. That’s because many people with the disease experience financial difficulties because they spend so much money on alcohol. 

Regular alcohol consumption has also been linked to violent crimes, including intimate partner violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and homicide. That’s because alcohol not only affects your judgment but can also cause moodiness, irritability, and aggression. 

In addition, alcohol disrupts your ability to understand social cues. For example, you might mistake an innocent comment as an insult and respond with violence.

Many proponents of an alcohol ban claim that making alcohol illegal could reduce both violent and non-violent crimes. They also point out that alcohol has a much stronger link with violence than marijuana , which is still an illegal drug in many states. 

3. Alcohol Harms Your Health

Alcohol is a toxin that can raise your risk of serious health problems. The most common health risks associated with alcohol include:

• high blood pressure
• heart disease
• liver disease
• pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• certain cancers, including breast cancer, colon cancer, esophagus cancer, liver cancer, and head and neck cancer

When left untreated, these diseases can be fatal. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), about 95,000 Americans die of alcohol-related deaths each year. 

Regular alcohol use can also weaken your immune system and leave you more vulnerable to infectious diseases.

Alcohol Poisoning

Even if your alcohol use does not lead to a disease, it could cause alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning (also called an alcohol overdose) is a life-threatening condition that occurs when you drink too much alcohol. Common symptoms include:

• slow heart rate
• slow or irregular breathing
• low body temperature                          
• pale, clammy, or bluish skin
• trouble remaining conscious
• seizures 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol poisoning causes about 2,200 American deaths per year. An alcohol ban could reduce these and other alcohol-related deaths. 

4. Alcohol Is Addictive

Like other harmful drugs, alcohol is highly addictive. In 2017, about 6% of Ohio residents aged 12 and older experienced alcohol addiction (also called alcohol use disorder). This disease makes you feel unable to control your alcohol use. 

Common symptoms of alcohol use disorder include:

• experiencing strong cravings for alcohol
• drinking alcohol in unsafe situations, such as when you’re driving
• neglecting your personal hygiene
• needing an increasingly larger or more frequent amount of alcohol to feel the desired effects (also called tolerance)
• experiencing mood swings
• avoiding friends and family members so you can spend more time drinking alcohol
• losing motivation at work or school
• losing interest in activities you once enjoyed

When left untreated, the disease can wreak havoc on your life. Some of the most common negative effects of alcohol addiction include damaged relationships, job loss, and homelessness. Banning alcohol could save many people from addiction and its consequences. 

If you or a loved one struggles with alcohol use or another type of drug use, please contact Ohio Recovery Center . Our substance abuse treatment providers offer personalized, evidence-based services such as medical detox , mental health counseling, and medication-assisted treatment .

• 24/7 Tempo - Drunkest States in America https://247tempo.com/drunkest-states-in-america/
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Alcohol Poisoning Deaths https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/alcohol-poisoning-deaths/index.html
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Alcohol Use and Your Health https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Alcohol's Effects on the Body https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Alcohol Facts and Statistics https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-facts-and-statistics#:~:text=Alcohol%2DRelated%20Emergencies%20and%20Deaths%20in%20the%20United%20States&text=An%20estimated%2095%2C000%20people%20

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Less alcohol, or none at all, is one path to better health

Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart. But better research methods have thrown cold water on that idea. A growing number of public health experts say if you choose to drink alcohol, you should drink as little as possible. (AP Video: Laura Bargfeld)

FILE - Bottles of alcohol sit on shelves at a bar in Houston on June 23, 2020. Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods starting in the 2010s have thrown cold water on that. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

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It’s wine time. Beer Thirty. Happy hour. Five o’clock somewhere.

Maybe it’s also time to rethink drinking ?

Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods have thrown cold water on that.

“Drinking less is a great way to be healthier,” said Dr. Timothy Naimi, who directs the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

AP AUDIO: Less alcohol, or none at all, is one path to better health.

AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports.

ARE DRINKING GUIDELINES CHANGING?

Guidelines vary a lot from country to country but the overall trend is toward drinking less.

The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Holland and Australia recently reviewed new evidence and lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations. Ireland will require cancer warning labels on alcohol starting in 2026.

“The scientific consensus has shifted due to the overwhelming evidence linking alcohol to over 200 health conditions, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and injuries,” said Carina Ferreira-Borges, regional adviser for alcohol at the World Health Organization regional office for Europe.

From Dry January to Sober October to bartenders getting creative with non-alcoholic cocktails , there’s a cultural vibe that supports cutting back.

“People my age are way more accepting of it,” said Tessa Weber, 28, of Austin, Texas. She stopped drinking for Dry January this year because she’d noticed alcohol was increasing her anxiety. She liked the results — better sleep, more energy — and has stuck with it.

“It’s good to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol,” Weber said.

WAIT, MODERATE DRINKING DOESN’T HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS?

That idea came from imperfect studies comparing groups of people by how much they drink. Usually, consumption was measured at one point in time. And none of the studies randomly assigned people to drink or not drink, so they couldn’t prove cause and effect.

People who report drinking moderately tend to have higher levels of education, higher incomes and better access to health care, Naimi said.

“It turns out that when you adjust for those things, the benefits tend to disappear,” he said.

Another problem: Most studies didn’t include younger people. Almost half of the people who die from alcohol-related causes die before the age of 50.

“If you’re studying people who survived into middle age, didn’t quit drinking because of a problem and didn’t become a heavy drinker, that’s a very select group,” Naimi said. “It creates an appearance of a benefit for moderate drinkers that is actually a statistical illusion.”

Other studies challenge the idea that alcohol has benefits. These studies compare people with a gene variant that makes it unpleasant to drink to people without the gene variant. People with the variant tend to drink very little or not at all. One of these studies found people with the gene variant have a lower risk of heart disease — another blow to the idea that alcohol protects people from heart problems.

HOW MANY DRINKS CAN I HAVE PER DAY?

That depends.

Drinking raises the risk of several types of cancer , including colon, liver, breast and mouth and throat. Alcohol breaks down in the body into a substance called acetaldehyde, which can damage your cells and stop them from repairing themselves. That creates the conditions for cancer to grow.

Thousands of U.S. deaths per year could be prevented if people followed the government’s dietary guidelines, which advise men to limit themselves to two drinks or fewer per day and women to one drink or fewer per day, Naimi said.

One drink is the equivalent of about one 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a shot of liquor.

Naimi served on an advisory committee that wanted to lower the recommendation for men to one drink per day . That advice was considered and rejected when the federal recommendations came out in 2020.

“The simple message that’s best supported by the evidence is that, if you drink, less is better when it comes to health,” Naimi said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Should Alcohol Be Banned?

12 Keys - JourneyPure » Blog » Should Alcohol Be Banned?

Did you know that more people die each year from alcohol-related accidents and health problems than any other psychoactive substance? Although alcohol is one of the most powerfully addictive drugs, its legality also makes it the most widely available. Walk into any city or town in America, and chances are you could get a drink within minutes. Is it time to consider why alcohol should be illegal?

The Risks of Drinking Alcohol

For many, taking a sip of the first drink leads to a lifetime of health problems, failed relationships, reputation troubles and more. Consider these facts:

• Alcohol is as addictive as many illegal drugs.
• Alcohol is a contributing factor in many — if not most — violent crimes.
• Alcohol is proven to cause serious long-term health problems and is linked to numerous life-threatening diseases.
• Abusing alcohol can lead to addiction, a disease that can end in overdose and death.
• Innocent people die from the actions of those who abuse alcohol every day.

Despite these facts, banning alcohol is unlikely because:

• Prohibition didn’t work. Bootleggers and gangsters distributed low-quality alcohol in a lawless, unregulated market.
• Alcohol is part of our culture, for better or worse. From France and Japan to California and Kentucky, diverse cultures use — and often celebrate — alcohol.
• We need the money. Taxes on beer, wine, and spirits account for a significant portion of government revenue. Distilleries and vineyards employ thousands of people in the U.S. alone. Prohibiting the sale of alcohol puts those funds in the hands of traffickers.
• Banning alcohol limits freedom. Although thousands of people die every year from alcohol and alcohol-related incidents, millions more use alcohol responsibly.

Protecting Yourself Against Alcoholism

You already know you can protect yourself from developing an alcohol problem by limiting how much you drink. Did you know, though, that even moderate amounts of alcohol can negatively affect sleep patterns, liver health and more — especially if you live with a mental or behavioral health disorder such as depression or you take prescription medication. How much is too much?

If you are of legal age, and you are in good health, you can safely drink between seven and 14 alcoholic beverages per week. Women cannot metabolize as much alcohol as men, and in general, should not consume more than one or two drinks per day; men can have two drinks per day safely.

It’s important to understand that the seven-to-14-drink guideline doesn’t mean you can have seven or 14 drinks all at once. Not only will that lead to intoxication, binge drinking is closely associated with alcoholism, violence and serious health problems.

If you are an older adult, limit alcohol consumption to one drink per day. Mental and behavioral health disorders such as depression, bipolar and anxiety also put you at risk for developing a substance abuse problem if you drink. Plus, many prescription medications react negatively with alcohol, so make sure you check with your physician before you have your next glass of wine.

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All too often, addicts are recycled through drug rehab treatment facilities across the country, where they are given the basics of recovery, but little else. Sent back out into the world, they lack the foundation in sobriety necessary to sustain long ...

Entering alcohol rehab: Have I made the right choice?

For the vast majority of people who are addicted to alcohol, the first big decision they must make is to become willing to seek treatment for their addiction. The second decision is of vital importance as well—choosing the right alcohol rehab to se ...

The importance of a safe detox process during drug rehabilitation

For many addicts who have made the decision to enter drug rehabilitation after a life filled with pain and misery, they will need to go through a period of safe detox before dealing with other factors associated with the addiction, and it’s importa ...

Can drug addiction rehabs help repair my family relationships?

Oftentimes, drug addicts are completely unaware of the devastation they are causing in the lives of those around them, especially within their own families. Family members themselves will yell, scream, withdraw, cajole, rant, criticize, understand, n ...

Not only does drug and alcohol detoxification benefit the addict, it also has longer reaching benefits to the community and society. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, substance abuse results in more than $600 billion dollars in healthcare, lost work productivity and crime. Additionally, every dollar that is spent on detoxification and treatment results in a reduction of $4 to $7 in drug-related crimes. Completing treatment as a drug and alcohol detox center can help reduce healthcare costs and costs due to crime while increasing productivity, self-worth and health.

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• This place saved my son and our family! Awesome counselors and staff. After 9 years of multiple facilities we found 12 Keys. One year later my son is clean and doing well. Thank you 12 Keys. Joanne P
• As an industry professional 12 Keys has become one of my most trusted resources. Patient care and engagement are always top notch, and I know that I can always trust that the patient and their families will be in the best position to recover. Solid clinically, and more importantly these are good and genuinely caring people. I cannot recommend 12 Keys at the River enough for those struggling with addiction. Ben K
• This place saved my life. The team that helped me get in was very helpful and showed that they really care. They made the detoxing portion 10x easier to deal with than trying cold turkey. The programming has an excellent balance of class and activities. I learned so much there. Just the ability to cope with life. They've set me up for success with a boat load of tools and the team they have to support your recovery is amazing. Thanks journeypure Scott G

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Alcohol Should Be Banned (Argumentative Essay Sample)

Alcohol should be banned.

Alcohol is widely used and abused by many people all over the world; alcohol consumption is legal making the product easily available in liquor stores, restaurants, and all supermarkets. Traditionally, alcohol consumption is widely accepted during special occasions like family get together or for leisure. However, such traditions have been misused, causing addiction among some users.  People who abuse alcohol develop several problems affecting not only his family but also the society. The negative impact of alcohol consumption has been a constant debate as people wonder if banning of alcohol consumption would minimize some of these effects.

Alcohol contains ethanol one of the compounds used to make beverages; it is true that moderate consumption of ethanol minimizes stress, increases the feeling of happiness and even reduces the risk of acquiring coronary heart diseases.  Nevertheless, heavy consumption of ethanol mostly found in alcohol causes addiction and increases the risk of acquiring several heart diseases. Alcohol is a depressant that can easily cause addiction if taken in larger portions. Alcohol controls the body’s central nervous system and slowing down the body functions. Alcohol also alters the brain functions, causing hallucination, anxiety and other psychological problems among alcohol addicts.

Even though many people argue that alcohol consumption should be legal to the older population because of its positive effects on the economy, health care experts have raised concerns over the misuse of alcohol among teenagers during entertainment. Many deaths are caused by teenagers who drive under the influence of alcohol. Besides, alcohol consumption causes several health problems, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic illnesses like lung problem, diabetes are common even among moderate drinkers. Heavy drinking of alcohol causes psychological problems like insomnia, hallucination, confusion and anxiety.

Alcohol contributes to a larger percentage of crimes in America; more than 60 percent of crimes committed in the US, including sexual abuse, murder, and child abuse and domestic violence are all caused by heavy alcohol consumers.  There is no doubt that alcohol is the leading cause of public disorder in the modern society. Banning alcohol will not only reduce the incidences of alcohol, but also restore public order. According to several research studies, the damage caused by frequent alcohol consumption is considerable, like other drugs, alcohol causes negative effects in the brain in the long run causing addiction.

Some of the common side effects associated with alcohol consumption include poor health, lost career opportunities, broken families, and disorientated society. Many research studies have analyzed some of the long-term effects of alcohol consumption, in all the research studies reveals that alcohol consumption causes severe damage to the body in the end.  After reviewing all the study findings, there has been intense debate whether alcohol consumption should be completely banned or not. Alcohol is still a legal drug. Alcohol consumption is acceptable by law with minimal restrictions that prohibit younger people and adults from driving when under the influence of alcohol, despite the fact that alcohol consumption causes more harm to users and their loved ones in the end.

I believe that alcohol consumption should be banned and laws should protect innocent people from suffering by making alcohol consumption to be illegal. Alcohol has limited benefits, but the consequences of its misuse cause negative impact to the society. That is why I believe that alcohol needs to be banned.

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Should there be a total ban on liquor in India? Debate.

Topic: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance;

7. Should there be a total ban on liquor in India? Debate. (150 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by Lexicon Publications.

Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure. Key Demand of the question: To debate on the pros and cons of total ban on liquor in India. Directive: Debate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition. Structure of the answer: Introduction: Begin by stating that concept of prohibition is mentioned in DPSP’s of our constitution. Body: Live Law Next, write the cons – escalation to bootleg and hooch, loss of revenue, restriction on freedom of people Conclusion: Conclude by stating you opinion on the issue of prohibtion.

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Alcohol And Tobacco Advertising Should Be Heavily Regulated Or Banned Altogether Argumentative Essay

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Business , Health , Products , Company , Alcoholism , Tobacco , Alcohol , Smoking

Published: 03/02/2020

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Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising should be Heavily Regulated or Banned Altogether? Agree or Disagree? In an attempt to reach a massive potential market, companies have array of options to choose from, but over time advertisement has proven to be an avoidable choice in this pursuit. Since all the companies have the right to buy air time on any media to advertise their product, alcohol and tobacco manufacturing companies have taken this advantage to spread their products (Harrison, Roy, and Waun 59-65). However, there have been debates for decades now, whether these two products need to abolished. Because high health risks are associated with consumption of alcohol and tobacco products, women, adolescences, and expectant mother are the most vulnerable. Besides being naturally dangerous, they are causal factors of various diseases. These include varied cancers, respiratory complications, liver cirrhosis, and heart diseases (Watson, Victor, and Sherma 284-289). In cases of long term use, they result in deaths. Therefore, since lives are precious than economic gains attain from alcohol and tobacco, their advertisements should be block and efforts directed to sweep them out of the community completely. During the advertisement of alcohol and tobacco product, persuasive approaches are implemented where images of health people drinking and smoking while having merry moment are used. According to research by Haustein and David, the mythical imageries applied have a tremendous impact on adolescence (5-8). Annually, there have been programs trying to save fifty percent of adolescences indulged in these harmful substances, but with the frequent adverts on media, the effort and resource channeled for it go to waste. As a result, school dropouts, early pregnancy, high infection rates of sexually transmitted diseases has been registered in adolescences under influence of alcohol and tobacco. Notably, their academic performances also deteriorate alongside their health (Schmitz, and Richard 68). Ultimately, they become societal bothers since they stair head societal problems including crimes, rapes cases, and poverty. Therefore, to curb these menaces and also save the innocent adolescences, alcohol and tobacco advertisement masterminding the whole mess should be abolished. When it comes to diseases, statistics depicts that approximately more than a million people perish from direct and indirect effect of alcohol and tobacco annually in United States alone. Cigarettes alone, contributes seventy percent of the statistics through cancer and respiratory related infections (Bayard 34). Also, nonsmokers who by accident inhale unfiltered chemical content of tobacco smoke are highly vulnerable. Pregnant women using both or either tobacco or alcohol risk themselves and the babies they are exacting. As a result, they are likely to give birth to babies with fatal alcohol disorder (FAD) and or fatal alcohol effects (FAE) (Watson, Victor, and Sherma 305). Further, these children are prone of suffering mental disorientations in the future. On the other hand, deaths emanating from a fire started by carelessly dropped cigarette filters have claimed thousands of lives every year. Considered the two in terms of human health and physical safety and wellbeing, cigarettes and alcohol advertisement should be abolished Economically, these two products are among the highly taxed thereby, making them large gross domestic product contributor. The heavy taxes levies have been applied in an endeavor to discourage the users (Bayard 43). But, there are advertisements by the companies to count tackle that, where consumers of these drugs have an opportunity to win prizes out of continues consumptions. This has not only swayed people, but it has also deteriorated users of these substances economically. Both being addictive substances, their users are unable to control their consumption rate and this has impacted financial irresponsibility on parents affected since they overspend on the drags forgetting their family responsibilities (Harrison, Roy, and Waun 78). Therefore, why should alcohol and tobacco advertisement still stand with these kinds of damages they cause? In summation, health hazards impacted by both alcohol and tobacco as a result of misleading adverts is worrying and need urgent responses measures to curb further damages. Lack of informed and autonomous decisions by adolescences makes them gullible to false adverts on alcohol and tobacco. In totality, this drugs need to be completely made illegal starting with completely banning their adverts.

Works Cited

Bayard, Steven P. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders. Washington, DC: Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1992. Print. Harrison, Louis B, Roy B. Sessions, and Waun K. Hong. Head and Neck Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008. Print. Haustein, K.-O, and David Groneberg. Tobacco or Health?Berlin: Springer, 2010. Print. Schmitz, Cecilia M, and Richard A. Gray. Smoking: The Health Consequences of Tobacco Use : an Annotated Bibliography with Analytical Introduction. Ann Arbor, Mich: Pierian Press, 1995. Print. Watson, Ronald R, Victor R. Preedy, and Sherma Zibadi. Alcohol, Nutrition, and Health Consequences. New York: Humana Press, 2013. Print.

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TikTok challenges U.S. ban in court, calling it unconstitutional

Bobby Allyn

TikTok's suit is in response to a law passed by Congress giving ByteDance up to a year to divest from TikTok and find a new buyer, or face a nationwide ban. Kiichiro Sato/AP hide caption

TikTok's suit is in response to a law passed by Congress giving ByteDance up to a year to divest from TikTok and find a new buyer, or face a nationwide ban.

TikTok and its parent company on Tuesday filed a legal challenge against the United States over a law that President Biden signed last month outlawing the app nationwide unless it finds a buyer within a year.

In the petition filed in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the company said the legislation exceeds the bounds of the constitution and suppresses the speech of millions of Americans.

"Banning TikTok is so obviously unconstitutional, in fact, that even the Act's sponsors recognized that reality, and therefore have tried mightily to depict the law not as a ban at all, but merely a regulation of TikTok's ownership," according to the filing.

The law, passed through Congress at lightning speed, which caught many inside TikTok off guard, is intended to force TikTok to be sold to a non-Chinese company in nine months, with the possibility of a three month extension if a possible sale is in play.

Yet lawyers for TikTok say the law offers the company a false choice, since fully divesting from its parent company, ByteDance, is "simply not possible: not commercially, not technologically, not legally," the challenge states. "And certainly not on the 270-day timeline required by the Act."

Anupam Chander, a law professor at Georgetown University who specializes in technology regulations, said if TikTok loses this legal fight, it will likely shut down in the U.S.

"The problem for TikTok is that they have a parent company that has these obligation in China, but they're trying to live by free speech rules by the United States," Chander said in an interview. "The question is whether American courts will believe that that's even possible."

TikTok says law based on "speculative and analytically flawed concerns"

Lawmakers in Washington have long been suspicious of TikTok, fearing its Chinese owner could use the popular app to spy on Americans or spread dangerous disinformation.

But in the company's legal petition, lawyers for TikTok say invoking "national security" does not give the government a free pass to violate the First Amendment, especially, TikTok, argues, when no public evidence has been presented of the Chinese government using the app as a weapon against Americans.

Possible TikTok ban could be 'an extinction-level event' for the creator economy

According to the filing, the law is based on "speculative and analytically flawed concerns about data security and content manipulation — concerns that, even if grounded in fact, could be addressed through far less restrictive and more narrowly tailored means."

New DOJ Filing: TikTok's Owner Is 'A Mouthpiece' Of Chinese Communist Party

Constitutional scholars say there are few ways for the government to restrict speech in a way that would survive a legal challenge. One of those ways is if the government can demonstrate a national security risk. Also key, legal experts say, is the government showing the speech suppression was the least restrictive option on the table.

TikTok said Congress ignored less restrictive ways of addressing the government's national security concerns.

"If Congress can do this, it can circumvent the First Amendment by invoking national security and ordering the publisher of any individual newspaper or website to sell to avoid being shut down," the filing states. "And for TikTok, any such divestiture would disconnect Americans from the rest of the global community."

Since more than 90% of TikTok's users are outside of America, Georgetown's Chander said selling the U.S.-based app to a different owner would cannibalize its own business.

"You can't really create a TikTok U.S., while having a different company manage TikTok Canada," Chander said in an interview. "What you're doing essentially is creating a rival between two TikToks," he said. " It may be better to take your marbles out of the United States and hope to make money outside of the U.S., rather than sell it at a fire-sale price."

TikTok critics call app a 'spy balloon on your phone'

The filing sets off what could be the most important battle for TikTok. It has been fending off legal challenges to its existence since former President Trump first sought to ban the app through an executive order in the summer of 2020. That effort was blocked by federal courts.

Since then, Democrats and Republicans have shown a rare moment of unity around calls to pressure TikTok to sever its ties with ByteDance, the Beijing-based tech giant that owns the video-streaming app.

Trump's Ban On TikTok Suffers Another Legal Setback

Congress has never before passed legislation that could outright ban a wildly popular social media app, a gesture the U.S. government has criticized authoritarian nations for doing.

In the case of TikTok, however, lawmakers have called the app a "spy balloon on your phone," emphasizing how the Chinese government could gain access to the personal data of U.S. citizens.

Worries also persist in Washington that Beijing could influence the views of Americans by dictating what videos are boosted on the platform. That concern has only become heightened seven months before a presidential election.

Yet the fears so far indeed remain hypothetical.

There is no publicly available example of the Chinese government attempting to use TikTok as an espionage or data collection tool. And no proof that the Chinese government has ever had a hand over what TikTok's 170 million American users see every day on the app.

TikTok says it offers U.S. a plan that would shut app down if it violated agreement

TikTok, for its part, says it has invested $2 billion on a plan, dubbed Project Texas, to separate its U.S. operation from its Chinese parent company. It deleted all of Americans' data from foreign servers and relocated all of the data to servers on U.S. soil overseen by the Austin-based tech company Oracle.

While the plan was intended to build trust with U.S. lawmakers and users, reports surfaced showing that data was still moving between staff in California and Beijing.

In the filing on Tuesday, TikTok said it submitted an agreement to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which has been probing the app for five years, that would allow the U.S. to suspend TikTok if it violated terms set forth in a national security plan.

But, lawyers for TikTok say, the deal was swept aside, "in favor of the politically expedient and punitive approach," the petition states.

Mnuchin claims he will place a bid to buy TikTok, even though app is not for sale

Despite the new law giving TikTok the ultimatum of selling or being shut down, there are many questions around how the app could even be bought by another company or group of investors.

Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told NPR on Monday, he is planning to assemble a group of investors to try to purchase TikTok without the app's algorithm.

Mnuchin, who declined to answer additional questions, said in between sessions at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles that the proposal to buy the app is still in the works, but he would not say when it would be formally submitted.

One major obstacle in any possible sale of TikTok is a glaring problem: The app is not for sale.

TikTok Ban Averted: Trump Gives Oracle-Walmart Deal His 'Blessing'

Despite the new law in the U.S., ByteDance says it does not intend to let go of the service. Furthermore, winning the support of China would be necessary, and officials in Beijing are adamantly against any forced sale.

In 2020, amid the Trump administration's clamp down on the app, China added "content-recommendation algorithms" to its export-control list, effectively adding new regulations over how TikTok's all-powerful algorithm could ever be sold.

ByteDance, not TikTok, developed and controls the algorithm that determines what millions see on the app every day. The technology has become the envy of Silicon Valley, and no U.S. tech company has been able dislodge TikTok's firm hold on the short-form video market. Experts say key to its success is its highly engaging and hyper-personalized video-ranking algorithm.

The algorithm, which involves millions of lines of software code developed by thousands of engineers over many years, cannot be easily transferred to the U.S., even if China did allow it, TikTok's challenge states.

Lawyers for TikTok argue that "any severance [of the algorithm] would leave TikTok without access to the recommendation engine that has created a unique style and community that cannot be replicated on any other platform today."

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Drugs, Sacraments or Medicine? Psychedelic Churches Blur the Line.

Organizations that describe themselves as churches are providing psychedelics to followers. The compounds, which show promise as treatments for depression, are illegal in most settings.

Participants in a psychedelic retreat in Austin, Texas, held up cups of hot chocolate mixed with several grams of psilocybin mushroom before drinking them. Credit...

Supported by

By Ernesto Londoño

Photographs by Meridith Kohut

Ernesto Londoño spent a year reporting on the use of psychedelics in medical and spiritual settings for the book “Trippy: the Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics.” This article draws on reporting for the book.

• May 12, 2024

Facing the latest participants attending her four-day psychedelic retreat, Whitney Lasseter made a bold claim: The ceremonies they would take part in were sanctioned by federal law, which sets a high bar for the government to interfere in religious practices.

“We are using these medicines to connect with the divine,” said Ms. Lasseter, the founder of All Tribes Medicine Assembly, one of dozens of organizations that describe themselves as churches and view their use of psychoactive substances as sacramental, even though they are generally illegal under federal law. “It’s your right to practice your religion however you are guided.”

Eight guests seated in a circle in a suburban Austin, Texas, living room nodded, some looking apprehensive, as Ms. Lasseter outlined the sequence of body-jolting, mind-altering rituals ahead.

First, there would be a detoxification protocol in which poisonous secretions of a frog from the Amazon are dabbed on tiny burn marks on a person’s skin, often inducing nausea and projectile vomiting.

Later, they would take a potent dose of psilocybin mushrooms, then smoke toxins from the Sonoran Desert toad , which brings on a brief altered state in which people often flail about, scream and sob. When it is done, many describe a feeling of bliss.

As psychedelics show promise as treatments for depression, trauma and addiction, they are increasingly being offered at retreats that blend spirituality with alternative medicine by people who assert that their dispensing of such compounds is protected under religious freedom laws. There is no official count of psychedelic churches, but an association of them, established two years ago, says it has more than 60 groups in North America.

Two churches, in New Mexico and Oregon , sued the Drug Enforcement Administration in the 2000s, winning the right to import and serve ayahuasca, a psychoactive Amazonian brew. The ruling set a legal precedent at the intersection of religion and drug policy, but as new organizations have emerged rapidly in recent years, the courts are grappling again to determine what constitutes a church.

The growing field includes a wide range: retreat businesses, operations that sell psychoactive drugs online and congregations that hold worship services regularly in keeping with longstanding traditions.

For now, law enforcement officials have shown little interest in cracking down on these groups, most of which are subject to little state or federal regulation. But experts say they worry that as such operations rise in visibility, especially among people seeking help with mental health issues, many lack the oversight and scientific rigor needed to safely administer psychedelics.

“There is going to be a disaster down the road,” said Anthony Coulson, a former D.E.A. agent who now works as a consultant for medical companies that hope to bring psychedelics into clinical settings. “There’s no doubt in my mind there’s going to be a reckoning.”

Shifting Landscape

Evidence suggests that ancient societies used mind-altering drugs ritualistically long before a British psychiatrist coined the term psychedelics in the 1950s, when scientists were studying whether compounds like L.S.D. could improve psychotherapy and help patients overcome alcoholism.

In the 1970s, the Nixon administration’s war on drugs ended that research as psychedelics were added to the government’s most restricted category of illegal drugs. Narrow exceptions were made in the decades that followed. In 1981, the Department of Justice sanctioned the use of peyote, a psychoactive cactus, in Native American Church rituals.

Members of that church sued an Oregon state agency after losing their jobs for using peyote, which remained banned under state law. The case, which reached the Supreme Court , led Congress in 1993 to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, establishing that the government could restrict religious practices only to advance a “compelling governmental interest,” and even then, the “least restrictive means” were required.

That standard was tested when the churches in New Mexico and Oregon successfully sued the D.E.A., bolstering the case for the sacramental use of psychedelics.

Major universities and the federal government are spending millions of dollars researching the medicinal value of psychedelics, which scientists say disrupt routine brain function in therapeutic ways.

For some, psychedelics can be more destabilizing than healing and can, in rare cases, induce psychosis , mental health experts say. No government agency closely tracks adverse experiences with psychedelics in unregulated settings.

Oregon and Colorado recently passed measures allowing the therapeutic use of psychedelics. But for now, the drugs remain largely unavailable for patients in regulated settings because they are illegal under federal law, leaving people who seek them turning to groups that claim religious exemptions.

That worries officials, who say more research is needed.

“Though the early data are promising, the safety and efficacy of psychedelic treatments for mental illnesses have not been established,” said Dr. Joshua A. Gordon, the director of the National Institute of Mental Health. “Psychedelics should therefore not be used for treatment outside of clinical trials.”

Law enforcement officials, too, have expressed concern that some groups are actually drug retailers or profit-making retreat businesses using religious grounds to skirt drug laws. The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidelines on the criteria religious groups must meet to get tax benefits, but Congress and the courts have not established clear guidance on what constitutes a legitimate church.

Last year, Detroit police raided a group called Soul Tribes International Ministries after city officials concluded it was operating as an “Uber Eats” for narcotics. Its founder, who says his work is protected under religious freedom laws, has not been charged with a crime connected to the raid.

Other groups have gone on the offensive, suing federal agencies for permission to import and provide psychedelics. The Church of the Eagle and the Condor, in Phoenix, reached a legal settlement with the Department of Justice last month, allowing it to do so.

A D.E.A. spokeswoman did not respond to a request for an interview. Mr. Coulson, the former D.E.A. agent, said counternarcotics officials have not focused on psychedelic churches partly because they are overwhelmed with a flood of opioids.

“The D.E.A. does not want to be in a position of deciding what a sincere religion is,” he said.

Inside a Retreat

Ms. Lasseter, 44, founded All Tribes Medicine Assembly in Austin two years ago. Her guiding belief, she said, is that psychedelics can unlock people’s innate healing potential and give them a direct connection to God or the divine.

Psychedelics had first helped Ms. Lasseter, who had struggled with addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol, when she was in her late 30s, she said. Reeling after a breakup, she smoked Bufo, the psychedelic derived from the Sonoran desert toad . It left her with clarity about her past and future, Ms. Lasseter recalled, seeming to wipe clear years of pain and self-loathing.

“It showed me how everything in my life was perfectly placed at the right moment at the right time for a purpose,” she said.

Ms. Lasseter and many others who administer psychedelics in spiritual settings say they help numerous people who are suffering and have seen a vast majority of them walk away from retreats or ceremonies feeling better.

Still, even some intimately familiar with the field have misgivings.

The Rev. Joe Welker, who leads a Presbyterian congregation in Vermont, spent years taking psychedelics in spiritual communities and credited those experiences with deepening his understanding of theology. But about three years ago, he said he grew wary about the blending of spirituality and psychedelics as he saw people who emerged from such settings more destabilized than healed. He said he also saw cultlike behavior take root in some communities.

“The risks are understudied,” he said. And instances of harm often get swept under the rug, he added.

Ms. Lasseter, who was ordained as a minister through an online organization, said that she is well aware of the risks of her work. She said she engages a nurse to screen retreat applicants for psychiatric disorders that can be exacerbated by psychedelics, such as schizophrenia, and has participants sign waivers.

Since 2022, Ms. Lasseter has hosted dozens of workshops, ceremonies and a biweekly worship service where, she said, “we celebrate being alive.”

But her highest priority is the church’s therapeutic retreats, which cost $4,444 a person and are held every few months. Ms. Lasseter said her church is just breaking even financially.

Attendees struggling with depression, trauma and addiction, the church’s website says, can expect to walk away with “a new lease on life.”

During psilocybin and Bufo ceremonies at a recent retreat, Ms. Lasseter remained calm as participants displayed a jarring range of emotions. Some sobbed. Some laughed hysterically. At times, bouts of giggles gave way to tears.

There were guttural screams, growling and drooling. Often, Ms. Lasseter held a participant in a tight embrace until a moment of tension passed. The key, she said, was to create a safe and supportive environment in which people could process repressed emotions and see clearly what it would take to lead a healthier life.

One participant on this day was Mekenzi Falslev, a mother of two from Utah who was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She said she had been in deep distress when she met Ms. Lasseter last year.

“I remember praying and thinking, ‘This is it,’” Ms. Falslev, 33, said. “I have done everything I can do. What can God give me?”

Another participant, John Verhelst, 57, said he had come from his home in New Braunfels, Texas, hoping for a chance to reclaim his religious faith after hearing from a colleague who had smoked Bufo with Ms. Lasseter.

Then there was Sean Carnell, a former Marine from Massachusetts, who became interested in psychedelics after listening to accounts of transformation on a popular podcast hosted by a former Navy SEAL.

Mr. Carnell, 44, said he came to the retreat hoping to tend to wounds that began in childhood, when he said he was sexually abused, then compounded after the suicide of his best friend, a fellow Marine.

He found little reprieve in the psychiatric drugs he got from the Department of Veterans Affairs, he said. “I felt like a zombie. I didn’t feel alive.”

Much of the time guests spent at the retreat near Austin did not involve psychedelic compounds. Members of the group began their days going on early morning walks and praying together while watching the sunrise. They attended yoga classes and meditation sessions. At night, before eating, they held hands as someone said grace.

In the end, Mr. Verhelst said the ceremonies allowed him to make peace with his turbulent relationship with his late mother, who, like him, had struggled with addiction. “It completed a cycle of accepting it and forgiving it,” he said.

Ms. Falslev called the experience a “beautiful rebirth.” Suddenly, she said, the psychiatric diagnoses that had come to define her for much of her adult life no longer felt fitting.

Mr. Carnell said he felt an incandescent form of love during the ceremonies — for himself and those who stood by him as he struggled. But the most meaningful insight, he said, was feeling deeply connected to God, a figure who at one point seemed tangible, like a divine force sitting on his shoulder.

Other than witnessing the birth of his children, he said, “It was the most beautiful experience I’ve ever had in my life.”

Ernesto Londoño is a Times reporter based in Minnesota, covering news in the Midwest and drug use and counternarcotics policy. More about Ernesto Londoño

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