The Effects of Alcohol During U.S. Prohibition

The Effects of Alcohol during U.S. Prohibition

Why this topic?

1. The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified by 36 states on January 16, 1919, and took affect one year later, beginning the era of prohibition.

2. The 18th Amendment is the only constitutional amendment that was repealed by another amendment (the 21st Amendment).

3. For centuries liquor had been used for medicinal purposes, in fact many of the liqueurs we know today were first developed as miracle cures for various ailments.

4. While prohibition was originally intended to reduce beer consumption in particular, it ended up increasing the consumption of harder liquor.

My thesis: The effects of alcohol during U.S. prohibition.

I seek to answer the question of why Prohibition banned only the manufacturing, sale and transport, but not possession or consuming of alcohol?

In the first part I want to discuss the period of prohibition, the manufacture, transportation, import export, and sale of alcohol beverages that were restricted or illegal during the 1920’s and 30’s. Further I discuss why instead of lowering crime and corruption, instead, alcohol became more dangerous to consume; organized crime blossomed; and the corruption of police occurred more often.

In the second part of my research paper I want to discuss the ways Americans became even more resourceful during prohibition as evident in the innovative ways Americans obtained alcohol during prohibition. The era saw the rise of the speakeasy, home distiller, bootleggers, and many of the gangsters associated with it.

In the third part I will find relations between alcohol then, and food now, and how both have many similarities. Obesity has become a major problem in the U.S., with so many people suffering from health issues related to the consumption of food why isn’t food regulated in the same manner as alcohol during prohibition?

There is a need for more food and beverage reform from our government. Obviously...