It's Just A Drink | Harison Xavier

It's Just A Drink 

My thoughts on a problem that we are facing for more than few thousand years. Yes, Alcohol. I am writing this to find where we can stand when it comes to drinking, and if we could find a middle ground. I am trying to come to a conclusion using the stories of few of my friends and from the books and experiences of people.

You might have heard this before, "it's just a drink", "just this one drink", "this is the last one" , "One last peg" , "I am stopping this today". 

I have seen many of my friends who say this, they all wanted to stop at some point, but they never did or never could. They all started drinking just for fun or relaxation. Relaxation from what? A few were going through a very tough time in their lives. I had my first taste of alcohol when I was very young at the age less than ten. My dad poured a bit in a glass and mixed it with a lot of water and told me to taste it. It was so bitter. Yuck! We had a great laugh about it. After that I never wanted to drink it. I know how it tastes.

 View this article as just a non-drinker who is viewing the problems of drinking and finding a solution. Still one question remained, even though it is bitter, why do they still drink it? It is not about the bitterness of the drink, it is about the happiness or the result they get after the drink, that is what everyone is after.  

I found this interesting video in YouTube about the history or alcohol and how it came to existence as we have them now. 

After watching this video I am convinced that alcohol will always be a part of humanity until the end. It is something that cannot be removed or stopped completely, so the one option we have is to live with it. There is nothing wrong in drinking, it is when you cross the limit and start making problems to others around you that is wrong. 

I have met people who drink every day and don't cause any problems. They drink 2 shots every evening and eat a good dinner and go to sleep. Happiness they tell me. Never more than 2. 

There are only a few like them who could keep things under control. This is not possible to everyone. I have seen people who drink two or three shots start beating up their wives. 

How about a worldwide ban on Alcohol? 

I read there was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933 in the United States of America.

But that was not successful. As the ban was implemented, the crime rate  in the communities started to grow.  It has been argued that organized crime received a major boost from Prohibition. For example, one study found that organized crime in Chicago tripled during Prohibition. Mafia groups and other criminal organizations and gangs had mostly limited their activities to prostitution, gambling, and theft until 1920, when organized "rum-running" or bootlegging emerged in response to Prohibition. A profitable, often violent, black market for alcohol flourished. Prohibition provided a financial basis for organized crime to flourish.  

In one study of more than 30 major U.S. cities during the Prohibition years of 1920 and 1921, the number of crimes increased by 24%. Additionally, theft and burglaries increased by 9%, homicides by 12.7%, assaults and battery rose by 13%, drug addiction by 44.6%, and police department costs rose by 11.4%. This was largely the result of "black-market violence" and the diversion of law enforcement resources elsewhere. Despite the Prohibition movement's hope that outlawing alcohol would reduce crime, the reality was that the Volstead Act led to higher crime rates than were experienced prior to Prohibition and the establishment of a black market dominated by criminal organizations. 

I used to hate people who drink before. I felt that they were just carelessly living life, after getting to know most of them closely, I came to know that they are just like everyone else. They are just drinking to have some good time and forget all their troubles. There is nothing wrong in it. What is wrong is "what they do after drinking." People are not able to think straight. 

I understand this post is long. I am just trying to think straight and see where I can draw the middle line. I will stop, the following video shows a clear reason why people get addicted so badly.

 I started this post about 3 months ago, I postponed it due to lot of reasons. Now I forgot to say a few keep points. I learned my lesson.  I will try my best not to postpone my thoughts anymore. 

Let me know your thoughts in the below comments. 

Thank you.