Africa: Gambia Alliance on Alcohol Policy
By The Point
October 3, 2018
Press Release NO Alcohol DAY 2018: ‘BAN ALCOHOL ADVERTISING IN SPORT’
Banjul the Gambia 3rd October 2018– On NO Alcohol DAY, Gambia Alliance on Alcohol
Policy call for ban on alcohol advertising in all professional sports
Commencing this year on 3 October, the members of the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance
(SAAPA), East African Alcohol Policy Alliance (EAAPA) and the West African Alcohol Policy
Alliance (WAAPA) and its partners mark NO Alcohol DAY. This year’s campaign highlights the threats that alcohol advertising in sport poses to children and future generations, Gambia Alliance on Alcohol policy
Calls upon the government to take concrete steps towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3.5 by banning alcohol advertising in all sport in the Gambia
Alcohol is one of the most heavily promoted products in the world. Alcohol advertising contributes to the normalisation of alcohol use and reinforces the harmful drinking culture that currently exists in most part of the world.
Alcohol per capita consumption (APC) in the WHO African Region accounted in 2010 for 6Litresof pure alcohol, with the highest consumption levels situated in southern Africa. Total APC reflects both recorded and unrecorded consumption. For example, South African adult per capita alcohol consumption in 2010 equalled 11 Litres of pure alcohol. (Source: WHO GSRAH 2014).a
In 2012, alcohol was responsible for 6.4% of all deaths and 4.7% of all Disability- Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in the African Region (Source: Ferreira-Borges 2012). The social and economic costs to the community as a result of alcohol are insurmountable.
Alcohol sponsorship of sport has an impact on both players and spectators. It is associated with hazardous drinking by those playing the sport and communicates strong messages about alcohol brands and drinking that are absorbed by children. Alcohol sponsorship of sporting events is resulting in children and young people associating alcohol with sport.
[Quote from Gambia Alliance on Alcohol policy and IOGT-Gambia
Alcohol is responsible for 3.3 million deaths annually worldwide, and is a causal factor in more than200 disease and injury conditions (Source: World Health Organization 2014).
Globally, the level of harm attributable to alcohol use is close to that of tobacco, and it affects the young in particular, leading to death and disability for males in between the ages of 15 and 24.(Source: Gore, Bloem et al. 2011). Globally, 6.2% of all male deaths are attributable to alcohol, compared to 1.1% of female deaths.
Overall 5.1 % of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured indisability- adjusted life years (DALYs). Already, global epidemic is enormous and is set to raise currently 8.8million People die from cancer worldwide every year, out 4 million are premature deaths, aged (30-69years), over the next ten years Cancer deaths are projected to over 14 million per year die from alcohol use, as statistic shown in the Gambia (Source: from WHO Country Office Globally Report and the Ministry of health and Social welfare…..).
Alcohol consumption drags down development through increased health-care costs and decreased productivity. Alcohol use also worsens health inequalities and exacerbates poverty, as the poorest people divert spending to alcohol from essentials such as food, education and health care. The good news is that there are clear global recommendations for effective action to combat the disease burden caused by alcohol: the World Health Organization and World Economic Forum ‘‘Best Buy’’; Ban on alcohol advertising, restricted access to retailed alcohol and tax and price measure(Source: WEF & WHO 2011). The implementation on the ban on alcohol advertising is recognized as far reaching recommendation in protecting, children and future generation’s exposure to alcohol.
There is no reason not to act now to protect children and the future generations against aggressive alcohol advertising in sport in the Gambia, Gambia Alliance on Alcohol policy and IOGT- Gambia strongly urges the Government to take the necessary action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 3.5 and the Global (Non-communicable diseases) NCDs Voluntary target on alcohol by banning alcohol advertising in sport.
Gambia Alliance on Alcohol Policy is ready and willing to offer support to the government to ensure that it benefits fully from the potential of the implementation of the ‘Global Strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol’ and the ‘Regional Strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol in African Region’ to save lives.