By Kemo Cham
[First published on www.politicosl.com] The Media has the moral
responsibility to inform the people on the dangers of alcohol consumption, a
coalition of civil society organization has said as part of efforts to mobilize
against liquor brewers. For months now concerns about the effect of alcohol
especially on youths have mounted.
The Sierra Leone Alcohol Policy
Alliance (SLAPA), comprising a group of CSOs, wants the government to revise
its policy on alcohol use, manufacture and sale. Brewers have come under attack
for increasing their alcohol contents in their brews mainly to lure youths to
buy them. The situation is made worst by the fact that the brews are extremely
cheap, making it easily accessible to even children.
SLAPA says the media can help in
their fight by highlighting the effects of the situation rather than focusing
on advertising for the producers. They blame alcohol for the high rates of
crime, rape,
among others, in the country.
“Over 8, 000 Sierra Leoneans consume
alcohol on a daily basis and this includes the youths known as future leaders,”
Ibrahim Kamara, Chairman of SLAPA and National Director of Response and
Development Organisation, was quoted saying last week. He said the only law
governing alcohol policy is the 1961 liquor law which is “outdated”. He said to
some extent the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority Act of 2013 seeks to address
the issue by discouraging drunk driving. He said the media can help in ensuring
that better laws are created to control consumption of alcohol.
(C) Politico 05/04/16
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