Reliving Prohibition

The circumstances regarding the legalization of marijuana are comparable to that of the legalization of alcohol after the prohibition in the United States. From 1920-1933, the U.S. government outlawed alcohol. According to a policy analysis by the Cato Institute, the experiment was an effort to reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America. However, it had the opposite effect than the one intended. According to the History of Alcohol Prohibition, crime rates skyrocketed due to the insurmountable bootlegging organizations operating across the country. After it was finally legalized, crime rates dropped. Contrary to popular belief, alcoholism did not surge out of control.
The U.S. faces the same problems today with regard to the legalization of marijuana. Like alcohol, marijuana is a highly sought substance that people will seek with or without the government’s approval. Many high school and college students try the drug on experimental basis. Reports by the White House suggest that these individuals are not lifetime users. Marijuana should be legalized by the government and treated just like alcohol. As a commercial item, it can be regulated by price and tax. To keep it out of the hands of youths, the government could put an age restriction policy on sales of the drug.