VAST-Ghana commends FDA for ban on mixed alcoholic energy drinks

The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development Ghana (VAST-Ghana) has commended the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for banning mixed alcoholic energy drinks from the Ghanaian market.

In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Labram Musah, Executive Director of VAST-Ghana and National Coordinator of the NCD Alliance, Ghana, described the move as a significant public health intervention targeting products that combine alcohol with stimulants such as caffeine, inositol, glucuronolactone, ginseng, and guarana.

He said the decision addressed critical health concerns and aligned with positions taken by global health authorities.

The statement cited warnings by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that mixing alcohol, a depressant, with stimulants can mask intoxication, leading to overconsumption, risky behaviours, and increased harm, particularly among youth and young adults.

It referenced a study by the Department of Psychology at Palo Alto University, which found that consumers aged 25 and below were more prone to fighting, brawls, bullying, victimisation and sexual violence.

Under the directive, all importers, manufacturers and distributors must remove the affected products from shelves, warehouses and distribution channels by March 31, 2026, or risk fines and possible prosecution.

The statement noted that similar restrictions exist in the United States, Canada and Lebanon.

VAST-Ghana described the ban as momentum in efforts to address harmful alcohol packaging and reiterated its call for a total ban on alcohol sold in sachets and small-volume PET bottles (200ml and below), citing easy access to high-strength alcohol among vulnerable groups, including youth and children.

It warned of associated health risks such as liver disease, cardiovascular conditions, and more than 200 non-communicable diseases.

The statement said the FDA had the legal mandate under the Public Health Act, 2012, to regulate sachet and small PET alcohol without delay, pointing to recent bans in Nigeria as evidence of effectiveness in reducing alcohol-related harm.

VAST-Ghana said the FDA’s action aligned with its mission of evidence-based advocacy, health promotion, social justice, and sustainable development. It urged the FDA to publish the names of affected products and pledged support for public awareness, compliance monitoring, and further beverage regulation reforms.

The group called on industry players, retailers, consumers, and civil society to comply fully with the directive and adopt safer alternatives, while encouraging the FDA to sustain enforcement and public education beyond the deadline.

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