Alcohol awareness is becoming more and more important in today’s fast moving society. Alcohol has long been overlooked as a gateway drug. The majority of all abusive substances, including marijuana and cigarettes, pale in comparison to the death rates that alcohol induces. So, the question persists, should alcohol awareness classes be mandatory?
The Pro's of Mandatory Alcohol Awareness Classes
There are several beneficial factors that are gained from making alcohol awareness classes mandatory. The first one would be a raised awareness between what alcoholism and alcohol abuse is. Even regions like Miami Florida are even firming up their laws
The second is what we call the “drinking cycle.” Over 80% of the people arrested for drinking and driving or public intoxication go right back to drinking and driving or getting wasted in public areas. Alcohol awareness classes, online or in person, are a great way to get people informed of the cycle-like end product that most alcoholics and abusers find themselves in.
The third is plain knowledge. When an individual is informed that a product or service will not only become addicting but could result in the loss of their homes, cars, families, and even life, that individual is less likely to become addicted, or even try, that substance.
The Con's of Mandatory Alcohol Awareness Classes
For as much good as it may do, many people would find it insulting and possibly even unconstitutional to make such a class mandatory.
If classes were not taken what would be the punishment? A fine? Or, perhaps even some jail time? Would the classes actually cut back on drinking and driving and alcohol related deaths? Or, would the classes just inform people on how much alcohol they could have in their system without actually going into a poisoned state?
When it comes right down to it, the objectors would argue that the government exists not to protect us from ourselves, but to protect us from outside harm. It is already illegal to drink and drive, making it illegal already to cause outside harm to another person due to D.W.I.
Many people just might revolt against the idea for a mandatory class for all citizens. It would be the first must-take class in American society, where the motto is supposed to be the ‘land of the free.’
One other downside is the cost. If everyone MUST take an alcohol awareness class, then it is a right to have. That would put the cost of burden perhaps right on the shoulders of the American government… which would actually raise taxes and cause long term hardship across the board for American families… even those who don’t drink at all!
In Summary
The idea of having everyone around informed and educated about alcohol and its consequences would be dream come true. But, it is a logistical and governmental nightmare for the people and their bottom line. When considering what is best, one must decide if the pros out weight the cons. And, in this case the cons far out number the benefits. Besides, one of our greatest engineering and political forefathers Ben Franklin once said, “anyone willing to trade their freedom for security deserves neither.” Consider taking an Alcohol
Awareness Class or even a Drug Education Class online