ALCOHOL SHOULD BE BANNED

Alcohol in the form of alcoholic beverages has been consumed by humans since pre-
historic times, for a variety of hygienic, dietary, medicinal, religious, and recreational
reasons. While infrequent consumption of alcohol in small quantities may be harmless or
even beneficial, larger doses result in a state known as drunkenness or intoxication and,
depending on the dose and regularity of use, can cause acute respiratory failure or death
and with chronic use can cause severe health problems, such as liver and brain damage.

As stated earlier, alcohol in small doses is harmless and can even be beneficial, but how
many people can consume alcohol “responsibly” and “sensibly”? Very few I must say.
It can be argued however, that some of the benefits of drinking alcohol can be harnessed
when drank moderately, for example alcohol has been known to induce a relaxed feeling
due to its central nervous system depressant qualities. Secondly, alcohol has
carbohydrates in large quantities which are digested to produce energy and therefore has
some health value. Thirdly, it reduces tension in the muscles thereby, heightening the
feeling of relaxation. Finally, alcohol has been known to lower inhibitions giving the user
the feeling of bravery and reducing shyness.

However, Alcohol in large doses can be very detrimental to not only the user but to
people around him/her. For instance alcohol has been known to damage the brain
especially the frontal lobes. It also causes an overall reduction in brain size since when
alcohol enters the brain it prevents the brain from growing and kills off cells. Secondly,
heavy intake of alcohol can lead to dizziness, vomiting, impaired breathing and in
extreme cases, unconsciousness and coma that can lead to death. Alcohol also causes a
vitamin deficiency, B-1 to be exact. This is because the digestive system of most
alcoholics is unable to digest the above stated vitamin. Lack of this vitamin causes
impaired memory, confusion and lack of coordination. Thirdly, chronic drinking can lead
to dependence and addiction to alcohol and this may lead to additional neurological
problems.
Another reason alcohol is such a dangerous drug is that it is not only harmful to the user,
but also to the community. The harmful effects of this drug are seen everyday for
example, due to the ability of alcohol to impair judgment and slow down reaction time to
stimulus, it becomes very dangerous when the intoxicated individual is behind the wheel
of a moving vehicle in which case, he becomes a danger to himself and other road users.
The statistics on drunk driving accidents are staggering and the lives lost are even more
horrendous.
Other negative social impact of alcohol are social problems arising from alcoholism can
include loss of employment, financial problems, marital conflict and divorce. alcohol use
can also cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Inside the mother, a fetus is fed through
the placenta. Because alcohol passes easily through the placenta, every time the mother
drinks alcohol, the developing fetus gets a dose of alcohol. Alcohol disrupts normal brain
development thus impairing the normal brain development of a fetus.

alcoholism affects not only the addicted but can profoundly impact the family members
around them. Children of alcoholics can be affected even after they are grown.
With all these facts in mind it is only right that the government should consider if not
implement
the immediate banning of a substance as disastrous as this. Though the economic
implications can be negative the overall benefits on human life vastly outweigh them.