One of the reasons Prohibition didn't work in the U.S. is because alcohol had already been long established as part of the popular culture. In a nation where it's NOT part of the popular culture, an alcohol ban would probably be very beneficial.
Unfortunately, the nations that currently ban alcohol are usually the same ones whose citizens have a habit of attacking innocent people at bus stations and blowing up churches with fashionable sportswear made from explosive materials and electric wiring. From a purely pragmatic standpoint, getting such people too drunk to give a crap would probably do the world a lot of good......(I was gonna try the phrase "do the world a world of good" but that just sounded cheesy)