Musician, Wiyaala
Ghanaian Afro-pop artiste Wiyaala has urged the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to clarify its regulations regarding the prohibition of alcohol advertising by celebrities.
As reported by 3news.com, Wiyaala, in an interview on June 24, 2024, argued that the current FDA guidelines are unclear and have not been well explained, leaving many Ghanaians dissatisfied.
The FDA, in its guidelines for the Advertisement of Foods published on February 1, 2016, states that "No well-known personality or professional shall be used in alcoholic beverage advertising."
The authority explained that the guideline was necessary to prevent minors from developing alcohol addiction due to the influence of celebrities.
Wiyaala, who personally rejects alcohol brand endorsements, called on the FDA to establish detailed rules and regulations rather than enforcing a blanket ban.
"I personally don't want to be a brand ambassador for alcohol because there's a fine line between influence and promotion. Influence is more of an action from my point of view, and promoting is more of a choice.
"The FDA should really come out with rules and regulations instead of just banning it. They should explain in detail why," she stated.
Background
The FDA's current guidelines prohibit celebrities and professionals from appearing in alcohol advertisements to protect minors from celebrity influence and prevent underage alcohol addiction. This policy aligns with the World Health Organization's (WHO) efforts to safeguard youth from alcoholism.
Despite challenges to the FDA's directive, including a lawsuit by citizen Mark Darlington alleging constitutional violations, the Supreme Court upheld the FDA's decision in a 5-2 majority ruling on June 19.
The court found that the FDA's actions were neither unreasonable nor unconstitutional.
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