Alcohol advertisement prohibition: making it work in Ethiopia

Abstract

Alcohol consumption is associated with communicable and non-communicable diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 3 million deaths globally every year in connection with alcohol consumption, and 13.5% of deaths among the 20-39 years age group are related to harmful alcohol use (1). In addition, alcohol use poses a major economic burden and decreases the quality of life of consumers and society at large (2). A systematic review of the economic impact of alcohol consumption from 12 high-income countries shows that alcohol is estimated to cost between 0.45-5.44% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in direct and indirect costs, which is a substantial amount (3). Despite the costly effects of alcohol consumption, alcohol advertisements are commonly seen in the media worldwide, including in Ethiopia.