Causes Of Prohibition In America

The Cause and Effect of Prohibition in America

In the wake of World War 1, the Roaring Twenties was an era for celebration, renewal, and a number of glamourized activities. Between flappers, the Charleston, organized sports, and jazz music, the people of the twenties lived joyous lives—until one of the most common activities came to a legal standstill on January sixteenth, 1920. Defined as the historical 1920-1933’s ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of intoxicating beverages, the Prohibition marked the beginning of a corrupted decade for the American people, in which immense change and frequent debate ruled over achieving the American dream (Wikipedia). While the topic of a ban had been discussed
One of the first, and perhaps most evident, issues that arose with the passing of The National Prohibition Act is the spotting of loopholes in the act itself. While the law prohibited the manufacture, sale and transportation of intoxicating beverages, the law did make a legal exception for religious, medical, and private uses. Michael Lerner provides an example of this loophole in his article, stating that the number of newly registered pharmacists in New York State tripled during the Prohibition era: “pharmacists were allowed to dispense whiskey by prescription…bootleggers quickly discovered that running a pharmacy was a perfect front for their trade”. As a result, many American were able to their wind way out of repercussions, and continue to dispense and ingest alcohol ‘legally’. According to Lerner, the “cat and mouse” nature of the Prohibition enforcement is precisely why the law began to deteriorate, and in turn, led the United States to more severe consequences—the fall of the economy, the consumption of tainted homemade liquor, and the excess of arrests. Firstly, many supporters of the Prohibition expected an immense growth in the clothing, entertainment, and real estate industries. Sober, responsible minds were to turn to bettering their lives and going to work, allowing the economy to thrive; however, that was not the case. Instead, the consequences
In late 1933, Prohibition ended with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment’s ban on alcohol; however, distorted drinking habits and organized criminality remained with the American people (Wikipedia). According to Lerner, the unintended and tragic effects of the Prohibition have left a continuing legacy, as “more people were drinking, and people were drinking more”, even in the decades following the repeal—until ultimately the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed in 1984: one major catalyst behind the creation of the law being the increase in deaths related to drunk driving (Wikipedia). Additionally, in 2014 alone, “24.7 percent of people ages eighteen or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month; 6.7 percent reported that they engaged in heavy drinking in the past month” (“Alcohol Facts and Statistics”). These unhealthy habits put others at risk as well, as “1.4 million Americans were arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in 2003” (“Alcohol Facts and Statistics”), and “103,213 people were killed in alcohol-related car accidents in the U.S in a span of five years from 2000” (“Alcohol Facts and Statistics”). In addition to the increase in alcohol abuse, the Prohibition also prompted feelings of resentment towards the law: “breaking the