Michael LarkinDid Prohibition WorkProhibition is probably one of the most memorable events in American history. The 18th Amendment and ultimately the Volstead Act created the law that made it illegal to produce, sell, and transport alcohol over 0.5%. Although it seemed like a good idea to most, prohibition encouraged criminal entrepreneurs. Many government officials were apprehended in nightclubs and speakeasies but never punished. At the time, Prohibition also divided social classes and created problems for those who were less prominent in the community. Flaws in the government's plans began to show until the 21st Amendment and the ratification of the 13th. Prohibition failed to limit consumption and actually cost the United States more than initially anticipated. However, according to Dr. Jack Blocker's article titled "Alcohol Prohibition as a Public Health Innovation", the claim that Prohibition failed is actually false and only failed because that voters were blinded by the priorities of the Great Depression. With the amount of money made from illegal alcohol sales, was consumption truly limited, or did Americans see a chance to overcome poverty and ratify the Amendment. Blocker works in the Department of History at Huron University and the University of Western Ontario. He wrote numerous books on the temperance movement and Prohibition, as well as several books on civil rights. His article was published in 2006 in the American Journal of Public Health. Dr. Blocker addresses many of his ideas and thoughts on national prohibition, but remains focused on the fact that the overall plan worked in limiting consumption and creating a better lifestyle for families......mid paper..... The main argument for the effectiveness of national prohibition was that "prohibition reduced per capita consumption." This point is obvious but doesn't carry much weight when it's an easy point, because when you outlaw something, of course not everyone can get their hands on the product. Blocker also explains that Prohibition would have been even more effective if low-alcohol beer and wine had been legalized, but even with low alcohol, people can still indulge and abuse their initial drink. According to prohibitionfastfacts.com, alcohol is associated with more than 2.5 million deaths each year, forcing many states to take measures limiting consumption or percentage of alcohol content. Oklahoma is one of four states that limits the sale of cold alcohol to 3.2 percent by volume. Again, this disproves Dr. Blocker's theory about allowing low quality alcohol.