Analogies between drugs and alcohol are obvious. A number of the specific features peculiar to the majority of drugs is inherent in alcohol: as well as drugs alcohol at first time causes pleasant sensations; then gradually forms mental dependence at consuming, forcing him to increase dozes; and at excessive consumption exerts negative influence on mentality therefore the person degrades as the personality, a physical dependence originate.
Malignancy of consumption of alcohol is obvious: already generally recognized, that alcohol is injurious to health, except for that the tipsy people frequently lose the control above themselves, make scandals, fights and even can make murder; drunk drivers are often guilty of transport incidents; because of drunkenness families often fall; alcohol is one of the reasons of a birth of defective children. All this so. But let’s shall look, that can occur, if to fall under noble desire to eradicate this evil for ever and to forbid manufacture and sale of this dangerous potion. Here an example from the near past.
In 1919 in America "the dry law" has been adopted. At last the cherished dream of fighters for sobriety and censors of morality was carried out. However idyll and calmness was not established on the American ground, there has not come paradise. Instead of expected calmness and well-being in a life of Americans the anybody uninvited and unexpected trouble - the organized crime - has appeared suddenly.
The interdiction on alcohol has generated a huge underground network of manufacturers, smugglers and dealers alcohol. The one who wished to drink, found to itself a treasured bottle of whisky in saloons which were supervised by criminal groupings. So in America the mafia has arisen. Incomes of this underground business were so high, that gangs constantly made bloody skirmishes, dividing territory on spheres of influence. In former times successful cities shots have rung out - that sort out relationship among themselves conflicting gangs. Headings of newspapers dazzled with messages on infinite crimes and on victims of mafia clans. In more detail and all that heat of criminally-drinking passions is shown in set of the Hollywood films concerning by those legendary times.
Any police raids and round-ups of secret pubs and secret brothels do not lead to a victory. One alcohol dealers caught and sent in prison, and on their place at once there stand others. The mafia only expanded and grew stronger.
At last, in December, 1932 the American legislators, having realized all senselessness and hopelessness of the further struggle with green serpent, have been compelled to cancel "the dry law". And here there was a great miracle: yesterday's dangerous criminals as on a wave of a magic wand have in a flash turned out to wine makers, fair dealers and owners of bars. Criminal trade in alcohol has disappeared completely by itself, as a morning fog on a cemetery. Trade in alcohol became legal.
However the mafia was not gone, as it was switched to other goods which is also in great demand, but it was forbidden to trade which - in drugs. The new page of history of the American mafia - history of drug business - is opens from now.
Unfortunately, bitterly lessons of the past not always go to advantage. The history, apparently, repeats. All as desperately and uncompromisingly American authorities continue to conduct large-scale battles with drug-dealers. In the American prisons the thousands prisoners leaves the terms for crimes, directly or indirectly connected with drugs. And as though the government of the USA improved methods of struggle, and how it toughened punishments, a drug mafia steadfast withstand all strokes of bad luck and lives and well-being as before.
Rigidity of punishment for adults has led to splash in teenage criminality. The mafia now trusts retail drug traffic to minors, more often even absolutely juvenile - 10-13 years as for them there does not come yet the criminal liability. And they since early years join to a criminal life, arm and terrorize contemporaries and even adults who, in the majority, cannot still understand with an original cause of these phenomena.
Experience of "the dry law" is interesting to that it has as simulated a analogous situation in relation to usual drugs, evidently having shown, how much fatal can be step the conservative virtue based on direct interdictions.
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