Essay about Prohibition vs War on Drugs - 2770 Words

The United States of America ©Ã‚ˆs war on drugs today is very similar to America ©Ã‚ˆs Prohibition of Alcohol in the 1920 ©Ã‚ˆs. These two major issues of their time may not seem like they can be logically compared, but statistics for usage and a correlating rise in crime for both eras show a strong relationship. There is also a tendency for an outright defiance of the laws and law makers of the United States government in both cases. Most people today think that the prohibition of the 1920 ©Ã‚ˆs and the current war on drugs have many contrasting points. The opposite is true. However, the points that do contrast are more opinion-based than fact oriented. The following paragraphs will attempt to clearly and effectively show a comparison and†¦show more content†¦A change was clearly needed and the government responded by redefining the Volstead Act. The redefinition made any drink containing more than 3.2% alcohol illegal. Wine, because of its lower alcohol content, became very popular and sales soared. Then on December 5th, 1933, thirty three states ratified the 21st Amendment to the Constitution which repealed the 18th Amendment. Drinking, and the sale of alcohol were once again legal in the United States. A summary of the war the United States is waging on drugs is necessary before any comparison and contrast position can be made with the Prohibition Era. In the past several decades, millions of people in America have become involved in illegal drugs, either through usage or through the importation, manufacture, sale and distribution of these illegal substances. According to United States Justice Department statistics, of the millions of Americans who use illegal drugs today, 2.7 million of these people are hard-core drug abusers. The hard-core drugs that enjoy the most popularity are crack, cocaine and heroin -- all of which are highly addictive. Addiction increases consumption and consumption increases the necessity to provide the drugs. It is an illegal example of a supply and demand scenario. While drugs attract users in all economic levels, it appears to be especially prevalent among those living in poverty. One possible explanation is that at the poverty level there is littleShow MoreRelated Prohibition Vs War on drugs Essay2724 Words   |  11 PagesAmerica ©Ã‹â€ s war on drugs today is very similar to America ©Ã‹â€ s Prohibition of Alcohol in the 1920 ©Ã‹â€ s. These two major issues of their time may not seem like they can be logically compared, but statistics for usage and a correlating rise in crime for both eras show a strong relationship. There is also a tendency for an outright defiance of the laws and law makers of the United States government in both cases. Most people today think that the prohibition of the 1920 ©Ã‹â€ s and the current war on drugs haveRead MoreSubstance Abuse and Addiciton: A Very Brief History Essay example1651 Words   |  7 Pagesalcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, over the counter drugs, cigarettes etc. Any and all of these can become addictive to people very quickly. For years, people believed that addiction was a willful vice that they do to themselves. For years is has been viewed as an individual problem instead of a social problem. Americans today have many different views than 100 years ago about addiction, alcohol and drugs. In the early days of the 19th century, it was only a dream that a drug could save aRead MoreMarijuana Has Always Been A Concern In How It Should Be1625 Words   |  7 Pagesrates when taking into account marijuana usage? Looking at the prohibition of marijuana, how some states have legalized it and others still have it as an illicit drug and how ethnicity plays a role. 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