FDA to prosecute defaulters of ban on alcoholic beverages

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has began processes to prosecute media houses who disregard the directive on the advertisement of alcoholic products.

Head of Communications at the FDA , James Lartey revealed this at Sunyani at a day's workshop on the ban on alcoholic beverages.

Mr. Lartey noted that the FDA has initiated moves to monitor TV and radio stations in the country who flout their directive.

According to him, the focus of this directive is not to collapse anyone’s business but to protect the future of the country for which reason defaulters of this directive will face the law accordingly.

He noted that the effectiveness of this ban in countries including France, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Kenya has to a large extent benefitted its citizenry and the country as a whole.

Mr. Lartey also revealed the fact that a particular company is going to be contracted for the purpose of monitoring the various media platforms across the country to ensure that the ban is adhered to and also to identify possible defaulters of the ban.

Mr. Emmanuel Nkrumah, Head of Cosmetics and Household Chemical Substance Department at the FDA speaking on the hydroquinone directive at the event noted, that the product has not been totally banned from the country as its been speculated in a section of the media.

"We have not banned hydroquinone from the country what we have banned is hydroquinone in cosmetics."



Mr. Nkrumah noted that public education programmes, media sensitization, product quality monitoring and post market surveillance to monitor skin lightening products on the market have been intensified.

He added that hydroquinone in cosmetics causes kidney and liver diseases, skin cancer among others, he therefore urged people who use cosmetics which contains hydroquinone to desist from the practice.