preview

Alcohol: It's Time For Another Prohibition Essay

Good Essays

Alcohol is one of the most consumed drugs worldwide. Alcohol consumption dates back to the Neolithic period circa 10,000 BCE (Patrick 12-13 ) and is the oldest psychoactive drug. Alcohol consumption is tied to religious ceremony, social gatherings, and cultural events; drinking alcohol is even simply equated to fun. The popularity of alcohol can also be tied to a physiological reaction in the human body, “drinking alcohol induced opioid release in... areas of the brain implicated in reward valuation.”(Mitchell et al. 116). Perhaps these social and cultural endorsements, coupled with specific physiological responses, make addiction and abuse a common progression of consumption. The negative impact of alcohol is observable in both the …show more content…

Despite the enormous cost of life it can be argued that there may exist other underlying causes as a link between these issues and alcohol is not concrete, yet even without irrefutable evidence are the potential health problems worth the risk?
Some opponents of an alcohol prohibition believe the risk is acceptable and even correlate moderate drinking with some positive health benefits. Regular temperate alcohol intake of less than two drinks per day has been linked to a decrease in coronary heart disease, hypertension, and an increase in cardiovascular health (O'keefe and Bybee 1009-1014). Although it is tempting to attribute a therapeutic benefit to alcohol many people find it difficult to restrict their drinking to amounts demonstrated to be healthy. The addictive property of alcohol makes healthful consumption difficult. When alcohol is consumed above moderate levels cardiovascular and other health benefits disappear. However, even in moderation the potential health benefits of alcohol consumption are minor when compared with the potential negative impact it has on the body and mind.
Not surprisingly the effects of alcohol consumption extend beyond the physiology of the brain and body. The social consequences of alcohol consumption can impact an individual's personal and professional life as well as harm those around them. The consumption of alcohol impairs judgment and

Get Access