MP Sarah Opendi permitted to introduce Bill controlling alcohol consumption

Parliament has today during the afternoon plenary sitting granted Tororo District Woman MP, Sarah Opendi, leave to introduce the Alcohol Control Bill, 2022.

The objective of the bill is to enact a comprehensive legislation that addresses prevailing circumstances regarding the consumption and challenges caused by the excessive use of alcoholic drinks.

The bill will particularly regulate the manufacture, importation, sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks.

It will also seek to license person trading in alcoholic drinks and premises where alcoholic drinks are sold.

The bill also seeks to prohibit the sale of alcoholic drinks to specified persons and regulate the promotion and advertisement of alcoholic drinks.

The bill promotes the creation of public awareness of the dangers of excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks.

It also provides for the rehabilitation, counsel and treatment of persons who have developed mental challenges arising from the excessive use of alcoholic drinks.

“The harmful use of alcoholic drinks causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences and often results in harm to other people such as family members, friends, co-workers and the greater society,” Opendi said

Adding: “We have no capacity from stopping people from drinking but gov’t can regulate. We should have the drinking hours. You can drink after work”