Malawi: MPs urge ban on sachet liquors

  1. Posted on Tuesday 26 June 2012 - 10:33
    Jorge Thawe
    Image of Jorge Thawe
    Jorge Thawe, AfricaNews reporter in Lilongwe, Malawi
    Members of parliament in Malawi have asked the government to completely ban spirits sold in sachets to prevent alcohol abuse among the youths. MP Dzoole Mwale said the increasing of duty by 150% on alcohol in sachets and plastic bottles as it was announced in the 2012/13 budget by the Minister of Finance Ken Lipenga is not enough to stop the youths from alcohol abuse.
    Malawi Parliament
    “Alcohol which is being sold particularly in sachets is totally being abused mainly by the young stars to the extent that a child aged 10 is nowadays found taking alcohol in sachets because it is very cheap and locally available” He said.

    Mwale told the parliament that to this effect, we are to have a healthy future generation, generations that will be productive and instrumental to the development of this country and he therefore recommend the government to completely ban the sachets.

    In a separate interview the Executive Director of Drug Fight Malawi Nelson Zakeyu conquered with the MP saying that there is a need to ban alcohol which has flooded on local markets in the country.

    “Despite that the National Alcohol Policy is still in the pipeline, but looking at the negative impacts that alcohol has brought in the country will much affect the future generation because a lot of people who consume alcohol are the youths and if we consider them to be the future leaders of our country so what type of leaders are we grooming?” explained Zakeyu.

    He said that the policy will help to support the public health oriented policies in reducing alcohol attribute harm and will provide and set guidance within the specific public health priority areas for action at the local and national levels.

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