Prohibition Vs War on drugs Essay - 2724 Words

The United States of America ©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 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†¦Four other cases of alcohol-related robberies alone were reported that night. The increase in crime was just one of the many problems created by Prohibition that was stupidly overlooked by the proponents of the new law. There were many others. Gangs and the Mafia took over the streets resulting i n bloody feuds. They made massive amounts of money importing alcohol to the public. These organized crime elements had a lot of police paid off to look the other way while they went about their business. Smuggling liquor became a quick way to make money. Often, the liquor was homemade and very impure.  ©Ã‚ ¯Moonshine ©Ã‹Å" and other homemade alcohol resulted in 4,154 deaths in 1925 alone. By the mid 1920 ©Ã‹â€ s, around forty million dollars worth of liquor had been illegally imported into the United States and the undermanned police force was powerless to stop it. At this time, around ten percent of the population was involved in some way in the illicit liquor business. In fact, some of the wealthiest and most influential families in the U.S. today got the start of their fortunes during prohibition. Speakeasies were opened everywhere throughout the country. These were secret or hidden bars behind behind everyday business fronts. Passwords were often needed by patrons to get into the speakeasies. Although police made a lot of busts and arrests for alcohol, most of the general population was not effected by their actions. During the time span ofShow MoreRelatedEssay about Prohibition vs War on Drugs2770 Words   |  12 PagesAmerica ©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 drugsRead 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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