As Ghana records high alcohol consumption at district level, experts warn of productivity loss and rising disease burden

The World Health Organization (WHO) says alcohol consumption kills 2.6 million people globally every year, accounting for 4.7 percent of all deaths worldwide.

According to the global health body, alcohol plays a causal role in more than 200 diseases, injuries and health disorders.

While the global figures are alarming, district-level data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) shows excessive alcohol consumption is notably high in Ghana, raising serious public health concerns.

Over the years, alcohol abuse has claimed many lives in the country and continues to drive up mortality rates, while contributing to a surge in non-communicable diseases and decreased productivity

Health experts describe alcohol as a depressant drug that slows the body, clouds judgment and weakens self-control.

Beyond the medical definition, addiction specialists say alcoholism operates like a thief in three stages.

First, it steals health, innocence and potential. Then, it kills ambitions, relationships and dignity as addiction takes hold. Finally, it destroys lives through chronic illness, injury, violence and family breakdown.

Religious bodies in Ghana have also consistently warned about the negative impacts of alcohol, citing its role in moral and social breakdown.

How Addiction Begins

Few people set out to become addicted, counsellors note. The path often begins quietly through family habits, genetics, stress, depression, peer pressure, curiosity, or a culture that celebrates drinking.

Easy access to alcohol, even for minors, has worsened the trend.

Over time, what starts as occasional drinking creeps into mornings and workdays. Victims begin to hide bottles, withdraw from loved ones, suffer blackouts, face financial problems and battle low moods.

Sharing her experience, a recovering addict, Faye, said: “My addiction built steadily, and before I realized it, I had become a morning as well as an afternoon drinker… I finally knew the terrible truth: I was hooked. I couldn’t quit.”

Recovery Is Possible

Despite the grim picture, health professionals insist it is never too late to quit.

Recovery, they explain, begins with a sincere desire to stop, followed by detoxification, support from doctors, counsellors or trusted relatives, removing temptations, building new routines and staying committed through small victories.

Because withdrawal can be severe, experts caution that no one should face it alone.

It is against this backdrop that Sprout Back Again Foundation LBG, a Tamale-based non-profit organization with the motto “Growing Second Chances,” is making an intervention.

The Foundation was founded and is led by its Executive Director, Stephen Yarrow, a passionate advocate for drug abuse prevention and mental health support in Ghana.

Yarrow has urged all and sundry, especially the youth, to desist from excessive alcohol consumption, describing the act as a deadly disease that destroys the future of young people.

Announcing a new campaign to advocate for drug abuse prevention and responsible living, Yarrow revealed his personal experience with addiction.

According to him, he was once a victim of alcohol abuse and nearly lost his life.

“I was a victim and I nearly died. That is why I understand what many young people are going through. This fight is personal to me,” Yarrow

Yarrow disclosed that as part of the campaign, the Foundation will visit schools across the country to educate students on drug abuse and alcohol consumption prevention.

He described alcohol addiction as one of the most dangerous threats to the human heart and the future of the youth.

He made a passionate appeal to District Assemblies to allocate a percentage of their Common Fund to support rehabilitation and sensitizationu programs for people struggling with addiction in various communities.

Yarrow also called on the government to broaden its fight against drug abuse, noting that while much attention is focused on cocaine, many cocaine users start with alcohol.

“Government is only fighting against cocaine, but those who start cocaine start with alcohol drinking. If we stop alcohol abuse early, we can prevent many from going into hard drugs,” he stressed.

According to Yarrow, the Foundation’s core interventions include:

For persons affected by addiction and their families, ensuring no one walks the road alone.

Helping individuals rebuild health, routine and purpose after detox.

Through its Drug Abuse Prevention and Awareness programme, which includes community campaigns, peer educators, life skills training, parental engagement and a counselling helpline. Pushing for stronger prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services at the national level.

Yarrow notes that alcohol is often the first substance in a pattern of drug abuse. By reaching young people early, supporting families and offering a path back for those already struggling, the Foundation aims to interrupt addiction before it takes everything.

The organization says choosing sobriety means choosing life and is calling on individuals, churches and other organizations to open their doors for sensitization programs.