Ugandan government has proposed plans tp raise the minimal drinking age from 18 to 21 in an effort to curb addiction.
“We want to reduce on the number of people who are going to buy. We want to raise the age from 18 to 21,” the Daily Monitor newspaper quoted Uganda’s Commissioner for Mental Health, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Dr. Hafsa Lukwata .
According to Dr. Hafsa, if someone does not consume an addictive substance by the age of 21 years, chances of them taking the substance later on in life is reduced.
“It is a 88% chance that they will never take this substance. At 18 years of age, the chances are 48%,”the commissioner said.
According to WHO’s statics report, Uganda is among the leading countries for high rates of alcohol consumption.
The report states that Ugandans currently consume 12.2litres of alcohol per person annually, higher than global average.
It further states that, Ugandan men consume more alcohol compared to women, with men consuming an average of 19.93L compared to female who consume an average of 4.88L per year.
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