STOP TUJILIJILI ILLEGAL SALES - ACZ

STRENGTHEN legislation to curtail the sale of high potent spirits commonly known as tujilijili or jun ta from the open market and the streets, a non-gov ernmental organisation, Alcohol Concern Zambia (ACZ) has urged the government.

ACZ Executive Director Clement Sakala says they were concerned that the sell ing of these high potent spirits that has become widespread across the country has con tributed to the high consump tion of alcohol among young people.

Dr. Sakala said in a statement that the Liquor Licensing Act (LLA) was be ing flouted with impunity and the selling of alcohol in the street was now being seen as normal and acceptable.

He said the availability and access to high potent spirits was detrimental to the public health policy and the welfare of many young people and adults in the country.

“Yet like any other alcoholic beverages, these high potent spirits are supposed to be sold from registered and regulated outlets in accordance with the Liquor Licensing Act Cap 17 of the Laws of Zambia,” Dr. Sakala said.

He said youths are particularly vulnerable to al cohol abuse and if the trend was left unchecked, it has the potential to negatively impact on the country’s economic transformation agenda as the human resource (youths) to drive development would have been destroyed by alco hol abuse.

He said the current mea sures where council officers acting under the LLA occa sionally make pounces on street vendors and kachasu brewers are unsustainable as they are often a one-off event conducted overtime and cov ering a limited geographical area.

Dr. Sakala added that most councils do not even have the requisite manpower to enforce such measures as a means to curtail illegal alco hol sales.

“Adding to this concern is the proliferation of many dif ferent brands of high potent alcoholic beverages being sold on the market resulting in al cohol abuse becoming com mon place among the youth,” he said.

Dr. Sakala feels that alcohol abuse if not controlled might lead to many youths and young adults becoming alco hol dependent and exposed to mental health disorders and violence and sometimes sui cidal thoughts and attempts.