FDA Ban Of Alcoholic Energy Drinks Is Laudable

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has directed the immediate removal of all alcoholic energy drinks from the Ghanaian market, citing serious public health concerns. The order, issued on February 25, 2026 follows a detailed post-registration review of beverages that combine alcohol, a depressant, with stimulants such as caffeine, inositol, glucuronolactone, ginseng and guarana. Acting under Sections 81 and 82(a) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), the Authority concluded that such formulations pose significant health and behavioural risks, particularly among young people.

According to the FDA, growing scientific evidence shows that mixing alcohol with stimulants can mask signs of intoxication, leading consumers to drink more than intended. This increases the risk of alcohol poisoning, impaired judgment, accidents and harmful psychosocial behaviour. The decision was backed by the FDA’s Food Expert Committee, including its Technical Advisory Committee on Food Safety and Nutrition.

The Authority also referenced international precedents, noting that several countries have restricted or banned similar products due to public health concerns. Marketed widely as “alcoholic energy drinks,” the beverages have gained popularity among the youth. The FDA’s directive, therefore, seeks to protect consumers and ensure safer standards within Ghana’s beverage industry.

The decision by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to ban alcoholic energy drinks from the Ghanaian market is both bold and necessary. At a time when public health challenges are already significant, allowing beverages that combine alcohol and stimulants to flourish unchecked would have been irresponsible.

Alcohol is scientifically classified as a depressant. It slows brain activity, impairs coordination and weakens judgment. Energy drinks, by contrast, are stimulants designed to increase alertness and reduce fatigue.

When these two opposing substances are combined in one can or bottle, the stimulant effect can mask the sedative properties of alcohol. Consumers may feel awake and in control, even as their blood alcohol levels continue to rise. This dangerous illusion often results in excessive drinking, risky decision-making, alcohol poisoning and cardiovascular stress.

Research from various jurisdictions has consistently linked such beverages to binge drinking patterns, aggressive behaviour and accident-related injuries. It is therefore no surprise that several countries have imposed restrictions or outright bans on alcoholic energy drinks. Ghana’s decision aligns with this global public health consensus.

Yet a troubling question remains: how did these products enter the market in the first place? Were regulatory gaps exploited? Were approvals granted under earlier standards that did not fully anticipate the risks of such hybrid formulations? Or did marketing innovation simply outpace regulatory vigilance?

Under the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), the FDA possesses the authority to reassess and withdraw products that pose health risks. The recent post-registration review suggests that emerging scientific evidence triggered this intervention.

While corrective action is commendable, this episode highlights the need for stronger anticipatory regulation. Products that mix pharmacologically opposing substances should automatically trigger heightened scrutiny before they reach consumers.

Equally important is enforcement. A ban on paper must translate into real removal from shelves. Monitoring, inspections and penalties for non-compliance must be rigorous to prevent rebranding or backdoor re-entry into the market.

Public health must never be sacrificed for commercial novelty. The idea of deriving “energy” from a beverage that simultaneously impairs the central nervous system is fundamentally contradictory. Ghana’s youth deserve better safeguards.

The Chronicle welcomes this regulatory intervention but insists that vigilance must continue. We will be watching to ensure that this decisive action is sustained and that future approvals reflect lessons learned.

 

 

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