The Golden Trident

Delilah Dare 

Have you ever thought about the fact that alcohol, one of the most addicting drugs, is legal for anyone over the age of 21 to use? Why is it that such an addicting substance is allowed for consumption? Alcohol may be one of the most harmful drugs as it is fairly normalized throughout our society. The fact that it is legal, and can be openly distributed, advertised, and even accepted in our world is disgusting. 

Oftentimes, people talk about how many deaths occur from methamphetamines, or cocaine. What about alcohol? According to the National Institute Of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in 2020-2021, 178,000 people died from alcohol related causes. That’s more than people who pass away each year from epilepsy, diabetes, and even strokes. Often people downplay the effect that alcohol has on our day to day lives, and our world. If you see a guy walking down the street with a beer in his hand, no one really thinks about it too much, which doesn’t quite make sense as it is a drug. 

Even when it comes to underage drinking, which is illegal, it’s still normalized. When caught, often little consequences take place. Kids have access to a harmful liquid, and with just a little too much, it could cause everlasting effects on their lives or even end it. Mitch shares that at just Golden High this year there have been six instances where kids have been caught with alcohol. 

“We’ve had to call ambulances multiple times because of alcohol poisoning for people who drink a bunch,”  he said. Mitch believes that society is accepting of drinking in general and that alcohol being sold in grocery stores has a big impact on this due to it being accessible for stealing. 

Everybody knows that alcohol has a big effect on the liver and can harm it, but many are unaware of the extent that it kills the liver. Your liver is one of the most critical organs in the human body, as it filters all the blood in the body and breaks down harmful substances, like alcohol. Without a liver no one would be able to live, it is such an important part, so destroying it with drugs and alcohol isn’t necessarily the best idea. When your liver is being harmed and starts shutting down, one may feel many illness symptoms as your body is very unsure of what to do. The only way to reverse this is by getting a transplant which, if not covered by insurance, costs a pretty penny.  

As stated in Northwestern Medicine, when alcohol is consumed, the liver breaks down the alcohol due to alcohol metabolism taking place. Alcohol metabolism is your body’s attempt at saving the liver by breaking alcohol down. After the alcohol is broken down by alcohol metabolism, it produces a chemical called acetaldehyde;, which is what causes the unwell feeling of being hungover, and damages your DNA. Drinking has both short-term and long-term effects on your liver. As for the short-term (more than 12 drinks a day for a short period of time), your liver may begin to swell or become tender and liver cells may start dying. As for long-term effects, jaundice, liver cancer, ascites, and even general confusion caused by the toxin amount in your body may occur. 

Many people use this drug and many other substances as a way to distract, feel, or even get rid of the feelings that they are dealing with. Thirty-seven percent of alcohol abusers have 1 or more mental illnesses, proving that this drug is often turned to as a last resort when people aren’t getting the help they deserve. As stated by the National Institute of Mental Health, 23 percent of adults in the United States suffer from mental illnesses. Out of those 23 percent, 29 percent either abuse drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism as stated in Help Guide.      

Alcohol impairs. Alcohol kills. Alcohol breaks families apart. Not only do people who drink and drive kill innocent people, but overuse of this substance can cause an overdose which could be fatal. People under the influence have brain fog, and lucidness, and have the potential to change someone’s life for the worse completely. Out of all fatalities that occur from car crashes, 32% are caused by drunk drivers. 

All of these causes could be brought down if alcohol was illegal, it would be much harder for the people who drink to have access to this disgusting, damaging, and overused substance. Though it wouldn’t be completely erased, it would help with the epidemic that we are facing and save many lives, hearts and help many who are affected by loved ones addicted.