The 1920s was a period known as Prohibition, during which alcohol was banned. The reason was that alcohol was thought to be the cause of a wide variety of social ills. Workers were less productive, some drug addicts spent much of their money fueling their intoxication, and families were torn apart. Additionally, alcohol was known to cause various health problems such as liver failure and sclerosis. However, the alcohol ban did far more harm than good. Criminal gangs formed and murder rates soared as crime lords took up smuggling. These problems led to the ban being repealed just a few years after it was enacted. Following Prohibition, it became apparent that many people could indeed consume alcohol responsibly and in moderation. The era of prohibition provides a very relevant lesson for our times. Drugs are prohibited and, as such, gangs can use them to finance themselves, leading to a proliferation of violence. The excuses for banning them are also the same: they can cause addiction and health problems if used improperly. If they were legalized, there would be a decrease in crime, the prison population, and the funding needed for the police force. The drugs in question that are mentioned in this article are illegal such as marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, heroin, methamphetamine, morphine, shrooms and oxycontin. All of these drugs should be legalized and regulated, just like alcohol is today, in order to resolve the societal and moral problems caused by their prohibition. The only reason the government differentiates between alcohol and illegal drugs is because drugs are perceived to cause more harm. and dependence than alcohol. However, this is simply not true. Alcohol is no less... middle of paper ......How it works, and Web. November 14, 2013. Larocque, A. and RS Hoffman. “Levamisole in cocaine: unexpected news from an old acquaintance.” » Clin Toxicol 50.5 (2012): n. page. PubMed. Internet. November 7, 2013. Miron, Jeffrey. “Harvard Economist: Drug Legalization Fits Ideal of American Freedom.” » Spiegel online. Spiegel Online, March 1, 2013. Web. November 7, 2013. Nutt, David J., Leslie A. King, and Lawrence D. Phillips. “Drug harm in the United Kingdom: a multi-criteria decision analysis.” » Lancet 376 (2010): 1558-65. Internet. November 7, 2013. “Opinion: One Way to Reduce Crime: Legalize Banned Drugs.” » Cincinnati. Gannett, September 17, 2013. Web. November 7, 2013. “Bureau of Prisons Quick Facts.” Federal Bureau of Prisons. US Department of Justice, September 28, 2013. Web. November 14, 2013. Sherriff, Lucy. “Drugs are OK in moderation, say UAE students.” Huffpost Students. AOL, August 1, 2013. Web. November 7. 2013.