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Banning alcohol in Ireland

  • 25-04-2025 08:59PM
    #1
    cathodrays
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37 ✭


    This is obviously hypothetical and would never happen but what would Ireland look like if we were a dry country?

    Most of the crime in this country is drug and alcohol related so the streets of Dublin and other cities would be safer. It also cause a huge burden on hospitals with so many A&E admissions not to mention the long term effects of liver disease and multiple cancers.



«1

Comments

  • #2
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,093 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    Just as realistic as the hypothesis…..we'd all be riding unicorns, using transporter beams, living in luxury and be supremely healthy until we're at least 140 years old



  • #3
    ednwireland
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,716 ✭✭✭✭ednwireland


    This

    https://youtu.be/eirq4laOhcU?si=zODc3pCenFYNeUCJ

    My weather

    https://www.ecowitt.net/home/share?authorize=96CT1F



  • #4
    Clareman
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 24,053 Mod ✭✭✭✭Clareman


    We're talking hypothetical so lets pretend that there'd be no illegal trade like what happened in the states, just there was no alcohol.

    There'd still be crime, people are ****s (choose your own 4 letters there) and they'll always commit crime against each other, to say most of it is alcohol/drug related I'd argue because of greed.

    Accidents and emergencies will still happen, personally I was nearly killed in a car crash because of hail stones, might mean A&E isn't as bad as it is but they will still happen.

    People will still die, they mightn't die as quickly but they'll still die, I'd an uncle who never drank or smoked die in his 50s from liver cancer, I've had a grandmother who drank and smoked every day of her life die in her 90s.

    Ultimately, there'd be an AWFUL lot of people out of work, but they'd find other work but ultimately things wouldn't change much.



  • #5
    Deregos.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭Deregos.


    Sure sharia law is just around the corner.



  • #6
    Pauliedragon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,491 ✭✭✭Pauliedragon


    Very boring.



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  • #7
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 72,746 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058407608/banning-alcohol-in-ireland

    There would be an incredible increase in organised crime, normalisation of doing illegal activities, and people being hospitalised for drinking methanol etc.



  • #8
    con747
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,266 ✭✭✭con747


    Sorry, I just read Ireland a dry country and looked outside.

    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



  • #9
    blanchwill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20 ✭blanchwill


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123389890#Comment_123389890

    Things would change massively, A&E wouldn't be jammed full every weekend for a start, Gardai wouldn't be half as busy at the weekends, court system wouldn't be a mess like it is

    If alcohol was only invented now it wouldn't be allowed, it would be illegal 100%



  • #10
    Clareman
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 24,053 Mod ✭✭✭✭Clareman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123389984#Comment_123389984

    If alcohol wasn't invented, A&E wouldn't need to be as big as it is or as well stocked or as staffed, there wouldn't be as many Gardai needed.

    Alcohol wasn't invented by the way, it's a by product of yeast and sugar, some people can create it on their own (it was in a House episode so it must be true).



  • #11
    elperello
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,912 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    Imagine waking up every single morning 🌄 knowing this is as good as you're going to feel all day.



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  • #12
    suvigirl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,348 ✭✭✭✭suvigirl


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058407608/banning-alcohol-in-ireland

    I would say most crime is actually drug related which are clearly illegal in this country. So if alcohol was illegal, I'd suggest it would be worse.



  • #13
    GHendrix
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 249 ✭✭GHendrix


    People would probably go and live in countries that allowed more freedom. I’m no big drinker. Not at all. But life would be very boring for me if I couldn’t occasionally have a few glasses of wine, whiskey or whatever I’m in the mood for.

    You can also read up on what happened in the US when they banned alcohol. The mafia formed and crime was worse than ever



  • #14
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,025 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    Alcohol action Ireland finger waggers are trying their best.



  • #15
    blackbox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,050 ✭✭✭blackbox


    It was a roaring success when they tried it in the USA.



  • #16
    GHendrix
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 249 ✭✭GHendrix


    You also have to try to understand the underlying reasons why people drink. Society is quite messed up. How many people want to work 40+ hours, 5 days a week for 50 years? Throw in commuting. Then the housing crisis etc and all those issues.

    People need outlets or they’d go absolutely mad. Thousands of people are going to drink alcohol responsibly today and have a great time and forget all of their issues for a few hours while they have fun. Removing that from people would likely have very bad consequences.

    People would still need an outlet. And it’s not like we have a great outdoor climate either. As mentioned above, it is not hard to see why prohibition failed.



  • #17
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,629 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123390711#Comment_123390711

    You have such a gloomy outlook on our country. Lots of people can live perfectly well with no alcohol.

    AI OverviewYes, according to recent data, roughly one-third of Irish adults are teetotallers, meaning they abstain from alcohol consumption. This figure has increased from 25% in 2018 to 30% in 2022, indicating a growing trend of non-drinkers in Ireland. 



  • #18
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 52,214 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    I'd be buying shares in companies which make homebrew kits.



  • #19
    Kaybaykwah
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,566 ✭✭✭Kaybaykwah


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123390679#Comment_123390679

    Imagine having to change your moniker to "Milk Galore". Ugh!



  • #20
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,959 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058407608/banning-alcohol-in-ireland

    wouldnt reduce consumption, humans consume such substances to escape from the emotional pain and stress of their lives, escaping from their traumas, masking their traumas, making such illegal wouldnt address these complex psychological and emotional issues, but would more than likely exasperate them, maybe provide better social structures, effective housing, health care, child care etc etc, try to reduce overall stresses, and the problematic outcomes of substance use would more than likely also reduce!



  • #21
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 52,214 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123390840#Comment_123390840

    https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/21/wild-chimpanzees-filmed-by-scientists-bonding-over-alcoholic-fruit?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

    ...

    ...



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  • #22
    Pauliedragon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,491 ✭✭✭Pauliedragon


    People would just make it at home. It's easy to make it. Fruit juice, sugar, bread one or 2 other everyday things and bang your hammered. Prisons are full of it.



  • #23
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,959 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123390859#Comment_123390859

    yup, there is a positive side to consumption, but the negatives can be extremely serious



  • #24
    suvigirl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,348 ✭✭✭✭suvigirl


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123390840#Comment_123390840

    Jesus. I just thought I liked the taste of some red wines



  • #25
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,959 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123390877#Comment_123390877

    oh im sure good wine is just that, good, ive probably only ever drank cheap sh1te, so i never got it, but alcohol is very deceptive, ive self medicated with it when younger, only now understanding why, so be careful folks, enjoy it, but be aware



  • #26
    Tazz T
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,221 ✭✭✭Tazz T


    100s of thousands would be out of work. And we'd have to find billions in tax and excise revenue from somewhere else.

    Meanwhile bootleggers and crime gangs would have a field day.

    So crime would increase, the emergency depts would still be full, but policing and health would be underfunded.

    Plus, it would be very boring.



  • #27
    Sponge25
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 441 ✭✭Sponge25


    I can almost guarantee it would cause far more havoc than having legal alcohol. Once the genie is out of the bottle it's not easy to get it back in.



  • #28
    GHendrix
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 249 ✭✭GHendrix


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123390724#Comment_123390724

    That’s nice for them. I enjoy alcohol responsibly. Probably only once or twice per month. But it would have a negative impact on me if it was banned



  • #29
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,629 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    Not much in the world is completely black and white. Google tells me that Prohibtion in America had some good results. And there are still places which are dry. Also in Canada.

    Map of alcohol control laws in the United States:

    Red = dry counties, where selling alcohol is prohibited

    Yellow = semi-dry counties, where some restrictions apply

    Blue = no restrictions

    image.png


  • #30
    Hungry Burger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 729 ✭✭✭Hungry Burger


    Would never work, it’d just go to the black market.



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  • #31
    BrianD3
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,715 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    Prohibition would work to an extent as it does with illegal drugs. The majority of the population does not use illegal drugs. With alcohol, the genie is already out of the bottle so a ban would see consternation and an explosion in the black market and criminality - but after a few years, people would start to adapt.

    It's already the case that young people are less interested in drinking alcohol and are more into fitness and gym than ever however cocaine and steroid usage has probably replaced alcohol to some degree.

    Lots of vested interest would be unhappy if alcohol was less an issue in society. E.g. various therapists, also solicitors as much of their business is generated by people behaving irresponsibly or falling out with each other. Who else would suffer , a wide variety, from manufacturers of the morning after pill to late night chippers. Also some NGOs such as domestic violence ones as their "business" would decline if people drank less.



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