Blanket Prohibition and the War on Drugs

     The act of completely banning alcohol rather than pushing for moderation is the reason, I believe, we still see intense abuse today. Alcohol and drug use has always been a way for one to "have a good time" or rebel against society, but more often than not it is linked to high crime rates and societal decline, so it was labeled "public enemy number one" by President Richard Nixon. 

    Originally started in 1971 when Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act, the War on Drugs set precedents for abuse treatment and enforcement. This war is never ending and as of 2024, the main focus is fentanyl and other synthetic drugs - and less on alcohol, but unlike during this era, we now have age restrictions and some states still have dry counties (like Kentucky or Arkansas).