Restrict sell of alcohol-activists

 

 

They argue that since some of the influential people are in the business of brewing alcohol while others are board members of some alcohol breweries, it hampers legislation.

 

“Alcohol is a drug and there fore should be administered to its consumers carefully and restrictively just like drugs that are sold only in licensed pharmacies,” said Rogers Kasirye, the chairperson of the Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance (UAPA).  UAPA is an umbrella organisation for the civil society and activists advocating for effective alcohol policies in Uganda.

 

Kasirye said that since awareness campaigns on alcohol are no longer effective and have been manipulated by the distributors of alcohol, it is better to have a strategic body that will tackle the issue more effectively. “We do not necessarily want to ban alcohol but for sure it should be regulated strictly.”

 

            He said instead of having multiple bills such as the narcotics and tobacco bill and acts like the Enguli act that tackle a similar issue of alcohol drug abuse, there should be one enforcement agency which will make regulation much easier. “The narcotic bill for example has been in parliament for over ten years without review,” Kasirye wondered.

 

He was speaking to journalists at a media training workshop on alcohol abuse trends in Uganda and the policy issues to date.

 

George Mulondo was a very bright child who was admired by everybody. But that came to an end when he joined a certain secondary school in Jinja and was introduced to alcohol. He recalled the number of times he and his friends jumped out of the fence, to the near by trading centre to buy tot packs of their favorite gin. This later turned him into an addict that cost him his education as he got expelled and did not complete his studies at all.

 

Presenting a survey on underage drinking among young people in Kampala and Wakiso districts, Rogers Mutaawe a senior programme manager at the Uganda Youth Development Link said 21 percent of children had first used alcohol at the age of 14 and below and 37percent first tasted alcohol between 15 and 19 years.

 

He said out of the 1000 children that were interviewed, 40percent consumed beer, 16 percent waragi, 10percent took wine and 3 percent took local brew, bringing it to a total of 69percent.  

 

The survey also revealed that most children who engaged in their first sexual intercourse did it under the influence of alcohol while others got seriously injured and were involved in arguments.

 

“A large number of children admitted that there was easy access to alcohol due to availability,” Mutaawe said.

 

Alcohol is the most commonly used drug and is a gate way to all other drugs. Uganda’s 30percent prevalence of episode drinkers is amongst the heaviest in the world. Statistics from the World Health Organisation reveal that 14percent drink unclassified alcohol hence causing bigger health risks.

 

Alcohol, according to police statistics of 2013 contributes 5.6percent of the total fatal road accidents.

 

What legislators say

 

            Kenneth Omona, the Kaberamaido County MP and the Health Committee chairperson in parliament said alcohol is indeed rendering more than 30percent of the young people in Uganda unproductive.

 

He however said, making a uniform law to tackle the abuse of alcohol and other related drugs may not be possible but rather focus on reviewing the existing laws.

 

“Let us work with the laws that we have,” Omona said, adding that the laws however should not be seen to be selective or benefit those that are in the business of alcohol.  

 

Medical expert’s view

 

Dr. David Basangwa the Deputy Executive Director Butabika hospital admitted to getting very many young people going to the hospital with alcohol addiction. He said that those that sought rehabilitation services were between 20 to 25 years but confessed to have started drinking five to eight years before.

 

“The reasons they gave for their addiction is the fact that alcohol is widely available, very cheap, well marketed and the law that prohibits sell of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 is not strictly observed,” Basangwa said, adding that the simple packaging in sachets makes it even easier for them to smuggle alcohol in school.

 

He added that early drinking among young people can hinder full brain development, low I.Q and is a chemical that injuries the heart, reproductive system and causes cancer.

 

“Parents are no longer have the time to instill values in their children,” Basangwa said, adding that it is a big factor most of the young people attribute their alcohol addiction to. 

 

Intervention from Beer companies  

 

Lillian Akol, the corporate relations manager Uganda Breweries Limited said their company, along side Straight talk Foundation, a NGO for teenagers runs a programme for underage drinking in schools, dubbed “Red cards”. The programme, currently running in schools in Kampala and Northern Uganda she said educates the young people on the dangers of drinking.

 

“We have also trained our distributors and retailers to use their own judgment to whom they sell the beer to,” Akol said, adding that part of the retail education is to clearly gazette the drinking areas like selling alcohol at a restricted corner of a supermarket.   

 

However, she cautions that the issue of alcohol abuse among young people should not be left to brewers alone but requires a collective effort with all the other stakeholders.