Alcohol should be banned

[DragonofAna]

''Banning things because I don't like to do them" is a British habit. (It hasn't been around for 100 years, so it's not a tradition; nor has it been around for long enough to be properly classed as a 'custom'- but it's certainly becoming a habit. )

 

Why not ban alcohol in the UK and accept that other countries act differently? If you were to ban alcohol in the UK, that would satisfy those who don't drink it and don't want others to drink it either and it would give the masses yet another reason to complain about restrictive rules in England and how things are so much cheaper and life is so much more relaxed elsewhere.

 

Surely that would please nearly all of the people nearly all of the time?

 

You cannot ban it over here because the US tried and look what happened there ... apparently. We are only allowed to attempt things that have been successful in the US. Didn't you know that.

 

Seriously though - I would not mind it being banned but there is not real way such a ban could be enforced, unless the same tactics as those used in getting people to turn against tobacco are used. A few scare stories. Pay a few scientists to cook up some rubbish about how it will kill you, change your mind a few times about how bad it is for you, and then really let people know that a glass of wine is signing your own death warrant.

We can have health warnings on labels telling you about the damage you do to your liver, kidneys, heart and brain, and ...

Nah - lost the plot now. Damn my senility.

[Phanerothyme]

I'm not sure the case is proved for these other drugs. I recall one time of day when cigarettes were advertised and put forward as being good for your health. That all changed rather quickly. Same could happen for others - even cannabis - though I doubt it.

Course - if they legalise cannabis who is to say they will not add something to make it as addictive and harmful as tobacco?

Same goes for other drugs.

 

I think there are basically two kinds of drug - the ones that have been used for millennia in their original plant form, and the synthetics, semi-synthetics and extracted and purified botanical drugs.

 

Drugs like alcohol, cannabis, psilocybin, opium, coca and many others have been in use for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, and are proven to be safe when used properly. But when abused, of those drugs, alcohol, coca and opium present dangers to users and bystanders. When extracted and concentrated (spirits, alcopops, strong lager, cocaine, morphine) the dangers are amplified.

 

Thus coca tea and coca leaves are widely used without much difficulty, but when the cocaine hydrochloride is extracted and purified and snorted - you have a different, and altogether more addictive and insidious drug.

 

Tobacco and nicotine can be taken safely without smoking.

 

But what strikes me is that alcohol is the default antidote to modern life, and unwittingly or not, many people use it as an end of week medication. I simply think there are better alternatives to alcohol for this purpose.

 

I don't think everyone would eschew alcohol in favour of newly legitimised drugs (should that ever happen), but this plague of overdrinking might be ameliorated if enough other people choose to go cannabis cafes, kava bars, mushroom lounges etc.

 

Of course, tectonic shifts in culture and attitudes would need to occur if we wanted to get rid of the worst effects of alcohol use and abuse by allowing people to choose their substance of pleasure.

 

And, I have no doubt, we'd experience tectonic shifts after liberalising psychedelics but that's a different thread.

[SiSiSi]

Just out of interest, I wonder how many people would be out of a relationship if alcohol didn't exist.

 

Isn't it an essential part of British mating culture that we can't talk to the opposite sex without the confidence boost of a few units inside us?

 

Agreed entirely. I've never seen an ugly woman at 11.30 on a Friday night.

[Truthinus]

Not read all this thread but as a recovering alcoholic I want to put my point of view across.

 

A small amount of drink can be good for us (or so we are told) but for some people, alcohol can become a serious addiction that not only harms the alcoholic but very often harms those around him or her. When the addiction takes hold, it becomes poison to both the body and state of mind, it ruins relationships, breaks up families, takes all the money and kills in a very horrible way - if one doesn't stop drinking - which for some people is very difficult to do.

 

I heard on the radio that in Russia alcohol kills more than a million people every year which did not surprise me at all, as I know several people who have lost loved ones through alcoholism here in Sheffield. The problem seems to be partly genetic and when alcohol comes along, it changes brain chemistry (and even brain structure) so that the person is hooked. People don't like to think that when they drink they are playing Russian Roulette with their lives but there is more trouble and death related to alcoholism than with any other drug addiction.

 

In a sense I'm lucky, because alcohol doesn't make me turn into a nasty person and I live on my own anyway. In another sense I'm unlucky because I have no family that are interested in me and there is no-one here for support and to be realistic that isn't likely to happen while I'm still drinking. Catch 22. I hate the stuff, I hate what it has done to me (and hate what it does to people who have a partner and/or family) and I hate what it is still doing to me, even though through a lot of trouble and great deal of effort, I drink on average 'only' one sixth (or less) of what I did a couple of years ago. I'm on the road to recovery but it is at the cost of a long struggle against the addiction and being ill every day - then who really likes to feel ill? Not many.

 

If it could be enforced, I would ban it. Instead, people need to take seriously what can happen through drinking. People think than an occasional drink can be fun but it is not fun when alcoholism affects you and/or those around you as many people can testify.

.

[Truthinus]

You're just showing off!

..daeh s'ti no tnemugra eht gninrut fo yaw ytra na tsuj - yllaer ffo gniwohs t'nsi llebehtleM

 

I wonder where Melthebell got the upside down font from, it looks rather nice.

 

Ha! can do it here:

http://www.fliptext.net/

 

pɐǝɥ s,ʇı uo ʇuǝɯnƃɹɐ ǝɥʇ ƃuıuɹnʇ ɟo ʎɐʍ ʎʇɹɐ uɐ ʇsnɾ - ʎllɐǝɹ ɟɟo ƃuıʍoɥs ʇ,usı llǝqǝɥʇlǝM

[Cyclone]

You never change your tune do you? Well at least that's something we can rely on. Everyone who says anything you disagree with is ignorant. From the posts you comment on here - why are you posting on here - you should be licing it up in luxury as the most learned person on the planey.

No, only those that refuse to learn about the subject, and apparently think that that's a good thing. Lots of informed people have disagreed with me on various things, I even changed my opinion from time to time after they make their case.

 

I like being an ignoramus. It feels good. Does it bother you that much? Wonderful - I'll keep on.

 

Here's a little helper for you -

The thread asks if Alcohol should be banned. I said that I believed it should but agreed that such was a silly idea because it could not be enforced. I went on to explaine my personal reasons for supporting a ban. They don't have to go with what you believe. They are my reasons. And you can conjure up any figures you want to support or not to support how healthy alcohol is/isn't.

You disagreed with the statement that being t-total was worse for you than drinking and challenged me to prove it. I did that, and apparently you don't care. Why let reality get in the way of a good opinion.

Couple of months ago a few glasses of wine were good for you; couple of weeks later a few glasses were bad for you; couple of weeks later a glass was good for you; couple of weeks later even that is bad for you. And so on.

You're probably thinking of the government and confusing their advice with the results of scientific studies. The former change their mind depending on what might win a vote, the latter just publish what they've found evidence to support.

 

Your facts are flawed - whatever facts you are supposed to be putting forward. And you can go to "We Love Alcohol.com" and "Drunks are the healthiest people on earth.com" to get your stats - does not make them correct.

NewScientist.com - the facts are sound. You didn't bother to read the article did you.

[Phanerothyme]

NewScientist.com - the facts are sound. You didn't bother to read the article did you.

 

I'm uncertain as to whether you did either - the article seemed to be casting doubt over the provenance and the results of the research, rather than supporting your point.

[DragonofAna]

I tend to enjoy winding Cyclone up and he loves trying to wind me up. Nothing but a bit of friendly argument. He does so like to choose his facts. As I have said - there are facts that prove both sides of the arguemnet so it all comes down to personal choice.

It's not important.

 

Anyhow - back on topic.

 

Not sure about drugs being shown to be harmless because they have been used for thousands of years. You would possibly have to have known these people before and after drugs to understand.

I know the native american indians use drugs such as opium and cannabis, amongst others, for dream quests, but their usage is very limited. It's not like they went for a dreamquest every other night.

As most underage drinkers get drunk - so turning them from alcohol to opium or such would possibly result in similar misuse. They affect different people in different ways. If you take something that makes you feel good then you want to feel good more often, and so you take the drug more often, and then you want to feel good even more - and so on.

 

For thousands of years people ate people - does not make it a good thing.

[harvey19]

I remember the days when pubs were only allowed to open certain hours. Weekdays 11-30 to 3.00 and 5.30 - 10.30 with 10 minutes drinking up time. Sunday was 12.00-2.00 and 7.00-10.30 if I remember rightly.

The police used to visit the pubs to check for underage drinkers and drunkenness.

People were arrested for being drunk or drunk and disorderly.

There was less tolerance of drunken behaviour by the authorities.

[DragonofAna]

I remember the days when pubs were only allowed to open certain hours. Weekdays 11-30 to 3.00 and 5.30 - 10.30 with 10 minutes drinking up time. Sunday was 12.00-2.00 and 7.00-10.30 if I remember rightly.

The police used to visit the pubs to check for underage drinkers and drunkenness.

People were arrested for being drunk or drunk and disorderly.

There was less tolerance of drunken behaviour by the authorities.

 

I remember being woken up at midnight when I was much much younger cos me dad and me uncle had come back from their saturday night drinking and had brought fish n chips with them. Fish n chips never tasted so good as it did then.