The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) is calling for the ban of alcohol adverts and the extension of the legal age for consuming alcohol from 18 to 21.
The Council was meeting the mover of the Alcohol Control Bill, Sarah Opendi, and the parliamentary department of legislative and procedural services to give their views on the proposed bill.
The Bill seeks to regulate the manufacture, importation, sale, and consumption of alcoholic drinks and also provide for the licensing of persons trading in alcoholic drinks and premises.
The head of Victory Christian Center Church Ministries, Pastor Joseph Serwadda, said children easily get lured into drinking alcohol and cannot differentiate between the different alcohol brands thus they need to be protected by completely banning alcohol advertisements.
“May I suggest therefore that the advertisement of alcohol be scrapped from our system entirely so that no kid ever gets to know what they become if they drink this or the other. Children don’t know the difference between Nile and Express beer, they don’t know what Guinness means, and once you excite them and show them the bubbles and colors, to them, Guinness is as black as Coca-Cola,” Serwadda said.
Opendi, who is State Minister for Mineral Development and also doubles as the Tororo Woman Member of Parliament, got leave from Parliament to draft the Bill.
Opendi was concerned that the harmful use of alcoholic drinks was causing a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences like domestic violence that often results in harm to people.
She said the Bill will comprehensively address the regulation of the manufacture and importation, sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks.
She also said she wants the Bill to regulate the promotion and advertisement of alcoholic drinks as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of persons affected by alcoholic drinks among others.
“The current legislations have their weaknesses and we need stringent measures or penalties to control the consumption of alcohol and also its production in the country,” Opendi said.
She also said she wants the Bill to regulate the promotion and advertisement of alcoholic drinks as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of persons affected by alcoholic drinks among others.
“The current legislations have their weaknesses and we need stringent measures or penalties to control the consumption of alcohol and also its production in the country,” Opendi said.
