The President of the Ghana Drunkards Association, Moses Drybone, has dismissed claims that alcohol consumption alone is responsible for the alarming number of deaths linked to it worldwide.
His comments follow a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report indicating that alcohol contributes to three million deaths annually, with six deaths occurring every six minutes globally.
Speaking to Adom News, Mr. Drybone acknowledged that parts of the WHO report are factual but argued that the situation in Ghana is more complex.
“Here in Ghana, people drink a lot, and it is possible for lives to be lost as a result of alcohol, just as the WHO report states. But some aspects of the report do not reflect what is really happening on the ground,” he said.
He alleged that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is failing to enforce basic regulatory measures that would prevent the circulation of dangerous alcoholic products.
“There are alcoholic beverages on the market that are not supposed to be there. The FDA is not regulating properly. Some drinks with FDA labels are duplicated by different companies,” he claimed.
Mr. Drybone stressed that the Drunkards Association is promoting responsible drinking and recently declared a short break from alcohol to encourage moderation.
He warned that if regulatory gaps persist, illegal manufacturers could flood the market with harmful products.
“If measures are not put in place, someone can easily use fake alcohol to kill Ghanaian youth,” he cautioned.
Prior to speaking with Mr. Drybone, Adom News visited several drinking spots to gauge public reaction. Many consumers described the WHO findings as exaggerated, insisting that people who drink responsibly and maintain a healthy diet are less likely to experience severe health effects.
However, public health experts disagree.
Public health advocate Nana Kweku Agyeman Duah stressed that alcohol consumption poses serious long-term health risks that Ghanaians should not underestimate.
“Alcohol has several negative effects. It can shrink your brain, damage your heart, and increase your risk of life-threatening diseases,” he explained.
Mr. Drybone again called on policymakers, the FDA, and other regulatory bodies to intensify nationwide efforts to clamp down on unlicensed and unapproved alcoholic products, which he believes remain the real danger to public health.
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