Africa: When drinking alcohol becomes a lifestyle for some young people

Alcohol consumption before legal age is common among teenagers in Africa. Some countries have no laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol from a certain age and especially among adolescents. Thus, the abuse of alcohol in the environments of African adolescents poses a real problem of responsibility to society and in particular to the various States of the African continent.

Alcohol has a lasting effect on young people and things are getting complicated everywhere. Faced with this, parents are often put on trial because of their inability to provide a reliable solution to limit, totally stop or prohibit their children’s consumption. Alcohol is not just about boys. Girls are affected as well. It used to be very poorly perceived. Now it’s a way of life, those who don’t drink it are frowned upon.

Beyond beer or hard liquor, traditional locally made beverages are highly prized, as they are cheaper than industrial beverages.

Today everyone is pointing fingers at the distribution companies of alcoholic beverages, to the point where some even are persecuted for different reasons. Vodka Vody energy drink pays the costs of unconsciousness and irresponsibility of young people, who not only abuse alcoholic beverages, but also strive, associating it with psychoactive products.

The worst thing is that in this state of insobriety, they take motorbikes or cars, and the end result is to find themselves in hospital or, for the less fortunate, in the morgue. According to the WHO, excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for more than 12% of deaths among adults aged 25 to 29 in the African region.

«The abuse of everything is harmful, alcohol is even more».

The state and consumer associations are urged to work diligently to develop strategies to keep young people away from abuse, especially minors. After all, it is up to everyone to take responsibility for not falling through the cracks.

Justine Akolatsey