Pharmacists operating under the umbrella of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) have urged the Federal Government to enforce a total ban on the production and sale of sachet alcohol, stressing that the measure is necessary to safeguard public health.
ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Ezeh, made the call in a statement issued on Monday and made available to Daily Post.
Ezeh criticised what he described as an alleged move by the government to reverse the restriction on the production and retail distribution of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small containers below 200ml.
He noted that the original directive issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was based on evidence-driven harm-reduction strategies and the need to protect children and vulnerable populations.
According to him, the prohibition of sachet alcohol should not be treated as a mere symbolic regulatory step, but as a critical intervention to reduce alcohol abuse and its associated health and social consequences.