Alcohol has a unique place among similar substances that cause addiction. It is well-known that alcohol was a part of many civilizations’ entertainment activities (Goode, 2015). However, for some of the people who drink it, alcohol presents a number of serious threats to their physical and mental health. For this paper, I chose to write about the nuances of the legal and social status of alcohol.
There is a controversy that stems from a difference between moderate and excessive alcohol consumption. Despite the traced co-occurrence of criminal activities and alcohol consumption, people argue that there are many positive aspects of drinking moderately, such as relaxation that is useful in many social environments (Goode, 2015). Many issues stem from alcoholism that can occur in some cases when drinking is no longer a strictly socially-oriented activity.
I believe that it is especially vital to examine the time when selling alcohol was outlawed in the United States. People continued to seek ways to acquire alcohol to the point where the criminal environment went out of control due to the massive influx of finances (Goode, 2015). There are significant efforts taken by governmental and non-governmental healthcare organizations to connect a negative image to alcohol use. None of them is as severe as the outright prohibition of sale, and they take years of development to be enacted.
In conclusion, I found it an interesting fact that alcohol causes a significant amount of controversies around its legal status. Despite several direct adverse outcomes of drinking that are well-established by scientists, the majority of the effects of this drug were deemed acceptable by society. Goode (2015) argues that “for most people, most of the time, alcohol has entirely positive effects” (p. 236). Alcohol is not inherently troublesome, yet it can cause issues for some predisposed individuals.
Reference
Goode, E. (2015). Drugs in American society (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.