The Director of Legal Affairs at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Joseph Yaw Bernie Bennie, has shut down claims that the FDA’s decision to ban the advertisement of alcoholic beverages by celebrities was made without any relevant research.

In an interview with TV3 on June 25, 2024, Joseph Bennie encouraged critics to refer to studies available on the World Health Organization's website and other sources on the internet which explore the impact of celebrity endorsements on alcohol consumption.

“Anybody can go to the WHO website, go to Google Scholar and look at the studies that have been done. Look at Google Scholar, search for studies done on well-known personalities and their impact on alcohol consumption,” he said.

He added that the FDA's contemplation of stricter advertising guidelines comes as part of a broader effort to assess and mitigate the effects of marketing on public health.

Background

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in Ghana implemented a ban on celebrities and well-known personalities from endorsing alcoholic beverages in advertisements.

This directive, which was established in 2016, aims to curb alcohol consumption among Ghanaians, especially minors, by limiting the influence celebrities may have on promoting alcohol use.

In 2024, the Supreme Court of Ghana has upheld this ban, dismissing a lawsuit that claimed the FDA's guidelines were unconstitutional and discriminatory.

The court's decision supports the FDA's mandate to protect public health by preventing minors from being swayed by celebrity endorsements to consume alcohol.

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