Prohibition means ban on the sale and consumption of intoxicating drinks. Majority of people in our country, who consume intoxicants, come from poor and working section of the society. Prohibition, as such, to wean the poor from the curse of alcoholism has been experimented in a few states.
Drinking is a great social evil. It has ruined many promising careers, wrecked happy homes, and impoverished rich and prosperous families. It is the biggest cause behind increasing curves in the crime graph. People commit rape, and other heinous crimes under the influence of intoxicants.
Efforts have been made by the Government to rid of the evil. It has regulated the manufacture and sale of drink, by enforcing strict laws of licensing; educated people by awareness drive.
How can we get rid of drinking? The best possible solution is to prohibit the making, importing and consumption of hooch. Perhaps, this could be the only effective means in which drunkenness be curbed.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
There are some serious objections against prohibition. At the outset, it has been argued that it would be unjust to penalize the sober and moderate drinkers, who take only a small quantity of wine or whiskey or beer, before or after the meal. For, there are others who drink in surplus or get unbelievably intoxicated. One may become abstainer voluntarily, but it would be unjust to force prohibition on moderate drinkers.
Subsequently, it is often argued that even those who drink only a glass of wine for pleasure, and never get drunk, would be considered guilty by law, if prohibition was enforced. Innocent pleasure could be branded as crime. Eventually, it has been argued that prohibition has been tried elsewhere like in the U.S, but it has failed quite miserably. However, in the state of Gujarat, at home, enforcement of which has proved to be appreciably effective.