Comments on: Here’s A Crazy Idea: How About A Six-Month Prohibition to Cut Debt, Eliminate Alcoholism, and Save Families

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:35:33 +0000

No…wouldn’t support. We have too many that would just break the law and the police have enough trouble policing pot now which incidentally, is only half-heartedly supported by the population.

Prob. would have no short-term effect other than cutting out my rum and coke on a Friday night.

Thanks for the thoughts.

By: Jason Kets

Jason Kets — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:50:33 +0000

Wow, I really disagree with this idea from an economical standpoint. No matter what the economic situation, consumers are willing to spend money on alcohol. How in the world would eliminating an entire industry help?

It would cause massive layoffs, punishing an industry (completely counter to capitalism), and it wouldn’t even stop people from drinking!

If you drink, drink in moderation. If you can’t, try sober living

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:06:51 +0000

Simply an innovative idea!

A lot many times we are too focussed on encountering and resolving debt issues. However things should be addressed at their very root to avoid its dire consequences.

Debt and other financial problems often stems out of excessive alcoholism and frivolous usage of funds. Prohibiting alcohol for a span of time would definitely help people realize its harmful effects and help them overcome the addiction.

By: A Blog Milestone and two Carnival Roundups! | I've Paid For This Twice Already...

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:25:14 +0000

[...] for a needed humor break, Here’s A Crazy Idea: How About A Six-Month Prohibition to Cut Debt, Eliminate Alcoholism, and Save… posted at Punny Money. I am still chuckling. Sometimes you need to just think out of the [...]

By: KingJacob

KingJacob — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:49:47 +0000

I think people drink too much but I would never approve of prohibition cause its not the governments responsibility to solve everyones individual faults, if you have a drinking problem its your personal responsibility to fix it not the governments.

By: Posts I Enjoyed Last Week | The Sun’s Financial Diary | A Personal Finance Blog on Saving and Investing

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 01:59:07 +0000

[...] Money has a crazy idea of six-month prohibition to cut debt, eliminate alcoholism, and save families at the same [...]

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 15:37:54 +0000

At the stroke of midnight on that last day of the prohibition, droves of people would hit the bars, the ABC stores, the grocery stores- especially the newly-21 year olds- and I wonder how many of them wouldn’t wake up the next morning. I think a compromise in this situation would be to prohibit the sale of products with an alcohol content greater than 8% or so. People could still go out, get buzzed, whatever– it would just be more difficult to get to the point of being so absolutely trashed as to cause alcohol poisoning. Microbreweries could stay in business, people with alcohol additions wouldn’t have to go cold turkey. However, Canada and Mexico would become even more popular tourist destinations, bathtub moonshine production would increase exponentially, and higher-proof alcohol would still be brought in illegally from other countries. I don’t know how that would be enforced effectively enough to be effective.

By: Extended Warranties, Envelope Cash Video, And Alcoholism: Money Blogs Roundup

Extended Warranties, Envelope Cash Video, And Alcoholism: Money Blogs Roundup — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:53:16 +0000

[...] Here’s A Crazy Idea: How About A Six-Month Prohibition to Cut Debt, Eliminate Alcoholism, and Save… by Nick @ Punny Money. Nick wonders whether prohibiting alcohol would solve a lot of problems. Hmm… prohibition will probably mean much safer driving on Friday nights. Now, I would give up a few beers for that. Seriously though, with all the TV advertisements against drunken driving, one would expect a drastic reduction in people who drink and drive. However, over the last 5 years, things haven’t changed much in our town. It’s still pretty risky (for sober drivers) to be out driving on late Friday nights. [...]

By: MoneyFwd

MoneyFwd — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:57:56 +0000

I agree with Jenn. People would stock up and it is possible that illegal drugs would become more prevalent.

I think overall it would hurt us. Small breweries are finally becoming more common and are providing a better product. Prohibition killed small breweries throughout, and many places such as Philadelphia still have not recovered. It would only help the large companies such as Anheuser Busch and Coors who would be able to survive for 6 months, and we’d end up with more bad beer, less variety, and more reliance on large corporations.

I think a blackmarket would also start pretty quickly, since one already exists with illegal drugs and prescription drugs, etc, it wouldn’t be hard to add alcohol to the stock.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:40:40 +0000

I’m with Jenn on this one. People would just stock up right before the prohibition went into effect… bars and stores would close, and it would be just awful for the overall economy.

But, there would be one hellacious nationwide party the night before it went into effect!

By: jenn

jenn — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 23:53:30 +0000

I have a feeling that people would just stock up on alcohol before the six months to tide them over. I wouldn’t do an alcohol ban- I think the problems with alcohol are socially based as much as physical, so it is more an issue of people being able to take responsibility for themselves- you have to want to quit or slow down your drinking. I also think that many people might turn to alternative drugs as an outlet instead- the drug market legal and not is very different from the 1920’s.

While I have no doubt that it would be great for many people’s waist lines, pocketbooks, and general responsibility, I don’t think you can just target one drug (and if you where- why not tobacco? It is as an industry probably worse, the health effects are expensive and directly effecct kids, and it is highly addictive of course)- by targeting one drug it sets up the continued separation of licit (prescribed or not) vs. illicit drugs, which I think targets certain groups of people unfairly.

I WOULD support a movement for everyone to only drink local or organic alcohol though.

By: plonkee

plonkee — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:34:42 +0000

I don’t mind what you do in the US but I won’t be very happy if they banned alcohol for 6 months in the UK. How would we go to the pub? Would it cause a problem with marmite production? Where would all the mashups go all day? Would it lead to an increase in the use of illicit drugs?

By: Clever Dude

Clever Dude — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:42:44 +0000

I personally wouldn’t mind either way if alcohol was gone for 6 months. However, most pubs thrive on alcohol sales, as do all those mom and pop beer stores. With 6 months of sales wiped out, I doubt many of them would be able to come back from that.

Is it better that they don’t? Eh, there’ll always be someone to take their place. I like a drink every so often myself, but I could do fine with other substitutes like soda or Kool-aid. I don’t get sloppy drunk like I did back in college. It’s lost its appeal.