You didn't present any empirical data - Arnold chides FDA over celebrity alcohol ad ban

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Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo

Entertainment pundit, Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo, has criticized the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for its decision to prohibit celebrities from participating in alcoholic advertisements.

He contended that the FDA's lack of empirical data analysis to demonstrate how such advertisements impact children and the youth is not conducive to the directive's effectiveness.

Arnold maintained that if research data indicated that alcoholic advertisements by celebrities hurt society, then the directive would be justified.

"I do not believe that being a regulator gives you the right to enact laws that could potentially collapse another industry. Anyone who has doubts should revisit the directive; it was issued without any analysis or empirical data to substantiate their claims that celebrities could negatively influence kids and the youth through such advertisements.

"In the UK, where they have regulations on betting and other activities, they provide empirical analysis with dates and figures that demonstrate the impact on 6,000 children, allowing for a clear understanding. But issuing a pedestrian directive without empirical evidence to support it is a mistake. What they've done has serious implications for the industry," he said on UTV's United Showbiz hosted by MzGee and monitored by GhanaWeb.

Meanwhile, showbiz personalities have expressed diverse views on the ban on celebrity endorsements for alcohol, with some considering it a boon, and others believing it will not benefit industry stakeholders.

Background

In 2015, the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) implemented a ban on celebrities from endorsing alcoholic beverages, in line with a World Health Organization (WHO) policy aimed at protecting minors from alcoholism.

The controversy resurfaced in 2020 when artiste Wendy Shay publicly criticised the FDA and the Gaming Commission of Ghana for the ban, claiming it deprived celebrities of potential earnings.

Shay urged her peers to oppose the policy, asserting that it was detrimental to their financial well-being.

The FDA maintained that their directive was not intended to impede celebrities' income but to safeguard children.

In 2022, the issue escalated to the Supreme Court.

Music publisher Mark Darlington Osae, who also chairs the Ghana Music Alliance, challenged the FDA's regulations, arguing that they discriminated based on economic status and occupation, among other factors and violated articles 17(1) and 17(2) of the 1992 Constitution.

Prominent figures in the music industry, including Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, and Camidoh, have voiced opposition to the law, advocating for its repeal before Mark Darlington's legal action.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Ghana has adjourned its judgement on the case.

No new date has been announced.

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