Journals Information
Universal Journal of Management Vol. 5(9), pp. 437 - 446
DOI: 10.13189/ujm.2017.050904
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The Need of Laws to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol Marketing on Youth under 18 Years Old in Ethiopia
Workneh Alemnew Alula *
School of Law, University of Gondar, Ethiopia
ABSTRACT
The proportion of teenagers who drink alcoholic beverages regularly is increasing and many young people start drinking from a very young age in Ethiopia. There are compelling evidences about the negative impact of drinking by young people not only on their health, but it is also known to be a major contributory factor for much of the crime and anti-social behavior carried out by young people. So, reducing the impact of alcohol marketing on young people is not only a public health goal but also a public law goal since underage drinking is a significant contributor to youth alcohol-related crimes, suicide and problems associated with school and family. Young people drink earlier more often and more frequently when exposed to alcohol marketing. There is known to be a link between alcoholic beverages advertising and people's alcohol consumption, particularly those under the age of 18. This study argues that any advertisement of liquor shall not concentrate on minors or use a minor as an advertisement actor so as to protect minors from negative impacts of alcohol consumption. Besides the large volume of alcohol advertising practices encountered in Ethiopia, the content of the advertisements stand out and are part of a very aggressive marketing strategy which might be interpreted as unethical. Moreover, there is no law that prescribes liability against alcohol manufacturers and sellers which serve alcohol to a boy or a girl under 18 years old in Ethiopia. Regarding methodology, this study uses qualitative data by assessing the laws and policies of the country Vis-脿-vis international experiences. It, therefore, focuses on the following research questions: (1) do alcoholic beverages manufacturing companies transmit ethical and legal advertisements in accordance with the Ethiopian Advertisement Proclamation No.759/2012? (2) do advertisements of alcoholic beverages concentrate on minors? (3) is there a need of laws that prescribe liability against alcohol manufacturers and sellers which serve alcohol to a youngster who is under 18 years old?; and finally is there a need of vibrant laws to reduce the impact of alcohol marketing on youth? This study recommends that there should be regulatory legal frameworks on underage alcohol drinking in Ethiopia. Hence, the alcohol marketing regulatory framework should be stringent and established by law in Ethiopia.
KEYWORDS
Alcoholic Beverages, Young People, Advertisement, Regulation
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Workneh Alemnew Alula , "The Need of Laws to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol Marketing on Youth under 18 Years Old in Ethiopia," Universal Journal of Management, Vol. 5, No. 9, pp. 437 - 446, 2017. DOI: 10.13189/ujm.2017.050904.
(b). APA Format:
Workneh Alemnew Alula (2017). The Need of Laws to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol Marketing on Youth under 18 Years Old in Ethiopia. Universal Journal of Management, 5(9), 437 - 446. DOI: 10.13189/ujm.2017.050904.