The Minister of State for Primary Health Care, Margaret Muhanga, has revealed that Uganda spends over $677,490,337 (Shs2.654Trn) to treat alcohol-related diseases in the country & called for the legal age for alcohol consumption to increase from 18 to 21years.

“As Ministry of Health, we use an estimate of $677,490,337 to treat diseases that are caused by alcohol consumption normally exacerbated by alcohol consumption. We therefore propose that a clause to identify and support problems of alcohol drinkers be added in this bill,” said Muhanga.

Muhanga made the remarks while appearing before the Joint Parliamentary Committees of Health and Trade to submit the government’s position on the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2023 that was tabled by Sarah Opendi, the Tororo district Woman Member of Parliament.

Muhanga argued that increasing the legal alcohol drinking age from 18 to 21 years is intended to minimize the impact of brain damage during this critical stage of brain development.

“The legal drinking age is a public health measure aimed at protecting young individuals from the potential harms associated with alcohol use during the critical period of development. The brain continues to develop throughout adolescence and into the early twenties.

Exposure to alcohol drinking during this critical period can have lasting effects on cognitive function, memory, and decision-making. You know when most people are drunk, they make lame decisions that they may regret later. Setting the legal drinking age at 21 helps to minimize the impact of alcohol later on developing brains,” she added.