Adverts drawing teenagers into drinking
May 05, 2015
Advertisements promoting alcohol consumption are drawing Ugandan teenagers into drinking and exposing them to HIV, a study conducted by the Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL) and Georgia State University in the US shows.
By Taddeo Bwambale
Advertisements promoting alcohol consumption are drawing Ugandan teenagers into drinking and exposing them to HIV, a study conducted by the Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL) and Georgia State University in the US shows.
The study shows that because marketing for alcoholic drinks is not tightly regulated in Uganda, teenagers (12 and 18 years) are indulging in binge drinking that exposes them to HIV.
Prof Monica Swahn, from the School of Public Health at Georgia State University and lead researcher said stronger regulation was required to stem the impact of alcohol advertisements.
“If you teach children not to drink alcohol, messages encouraging people to drink should not feature prominently on radio, TV and billboards,” she observed.
According to the study, at least 60% of the teenagers who consume alcohol reported having been diagnosed with HIV or other sexually transmitted infection.
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