ABAK’s Preliminary Views On NACADA’s Proposed Policy On Alcohol

The Alcoholic Beverages Association of Kenya (ABAK) has noted the proposed policy by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) on further restrictions on the sale of alcohol.

The proposed policy is still in its formative stages and will necessitate amendments to the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act and other related laws before implementation. ABAK anticipates opportunities for stakeholder and public participation during the legislative process in Parliament and county assemblies.

Among the highlighted aspects of the proposed policy are raising the minimum legal age for handling, purchasing, or consuming alcohol from the current 18 to 21, further restricting the advertising of alcohol, and increasing the distance between establishments that sell alcohol and religious and educational institutions.

As ABAK, we are of the view that there are currently adequate restrictions in national and county government laws to curb the abuse of alcohol. There are sufficient laws that regulate the manufacture, distribution, advertising, and sale of alcohol at both the national and county levels.

However, inadequate enforcement has led to a prevalence of illicit alcohol in the market, with 60% of alcohol consumed in Kenya being illicit, as per a study by Euromonitor International commissioned by ABAK. This means that, regardless of the current legal drinking age of 18 years, Kenyans have more access to illicit alcohol than they do to legal alcohol.

On advertising, there are already adequate provisions to prevent the marketing of alcohol to minors. E-commerce platforms also restrict access to minors and work and train those who deliver alcohol to only hand alcohol products  to adults.

The Alcoholic Drinks Control Act and its variations in the counties also provide for the proximity of establishments that sell alcohol to basic education institutions. It is worth noting that in many urban centres and towns in Kenya, areas designated for shopping centres also have schools and places of worship nearby, and these have coexisted in the community in harmony for many decades.

ABAK is supportive of responsible consumption of alcohol beverages, fight against illicit and prevention of underage drinking. However, it is unfortunate that the policy was developed without the input of alcohol manufacturers who could have added valuable inputs to the policy.

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