The Uganda Alcohol Industry Association released a report recently showing that consumption of illicit alcohol is the leading cause of mental illness among many Ugandans.
The report was titled “Understanding and Sizing Illicit Alcohol Consumption in Uganda”. They released it from research done in 2021 by Euromonitor International.
According to this report, mental illness has rapidly increased in the previous one year.
“In the light of weak law enforcement, tracking and control, consumption of illicit alcoholic drinks is forecast to continue rising over the short to medium-term with spirits (high ABV %) being readily consumed, the most harmful. This could potentially lead to increasing number of deaths, associated disabilities and mental health problems among the population,” the report says.
According to this report, the volume of alcoholic drinks on the market increased by 65 per cent. Not only that but also consumption grew by 9 per cent in the last three years.
The report indicates that since there is no control over production of alcohol, consumption is hard to limit. This is because people can get it anywhere at their convenience.
The report, however, advises consumers to distinguish between illicit and legal alcohol.
“Consumers should be taught how to distinguish legal alcohol from the illicit one. As well as highlight risks associated with the consumption of illicit beverages. Encourage consumer reporting illicit alcohol production locations and points of sales; however, strictly on an anonymous basis,” the report says.
