It is obvious that some of our state regulatory agencies have indeed awoken up from their slumber and working with a sense of urgency so far as their mandates and responsibilities are concerned. One such agency is the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
We must aver that the FDA is one state regulatory body that has been proactive with the mandate. That is indeed commendable.
A directive from the FDA which bans both advertisement and live presenter (LPM) mentioning of alcoholic beverages and aphrodisiacs in the media before 8 pm effective 1st January, 2018 is indeed a bold step.
According to the FDA, this new directive is aimed at protecting children and preventing them from being wooed into alcoholism at their tender age. This directive, Today must assert, is long overdue, particularly in the wake of the fact that alcohol and aphrodisiac advertisements have become rampant over the last few years and has mandated the media—both the print and the electronic.
It is a development that gives cause for concern. Similarly, we recall that the FDA in 2015 placed a ban on celebrities from advertising alcoholic beverages. That ban was in adherence to a World Health Organisation (WHO) policy.
As a nation we must not put the lives of future leaders (children) at risk. That will be a dangerous path to walk as a country.
It is in the light of the above that Today commends the FDA for issuing this new directive. It is one directive that if adhered to will go a long way to protect our children from alcohol consumption at their young age.
However, we must point out that the effectiveness of this directive will largely depend on how FDA monitors the media houses in the country. And we are happy to hear the FDA state categorically that it will deal with any media house that will flout this new directive.
And we want to add that the punishment for flouting this directive should be punitive enough to deter others.
<<Print>>