Joseph Yaw Bernie Bennie, Director of Legal Affairs at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has challenged critics of the ban on celebrity alcohol advertisements to identify better alternatives.
Mr. Bennie, in an interview on Rainbow Radio’s Frontline on Thursday, June 20, said that the FDA’s directive should not impede the livelihoods of well-known personalities including celebrities.
He told host Kwabena Agyapong that this directive, which affects celebrities’s alcoholic beverage endorsements, will not affect their source of livelihood since there are other regulated products to advertise.
He said the FDA was open to new ideas, and all those who believe the directive was not the best and have something superior to it should submit it to the authority for consideration.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, dismissed a suit seeking to declare unconstitutional the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) guidelines that prohibit celebrities from advertising for alcoholic beverages.
The suit was filed by Mark Darlington Osae, the manager for musician Reggie N. Bollie.
He had argued that the directive was discriminatory and unconstitutional.
He filed the suit after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2016 placed a ban on celebrities from advertising alcoholic beverages.
The plaintiff in his suit prayed the court to injunct the Food and Drugs Authority by interpreting articles 17(1) and 17(2) of the constitution to mean that the directive is discriminatory.
However, in a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court, presided over by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, maintained the directive’s validity.
The court further affirmed that celebrities cannot market alcoholic beverages. Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo delivered a shortened version of the verdict before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, June 19, saying the FDA’s mandate did not violate the Constitution.
Reacting to the decision by the court, Joseph Yaw Bernie Bennie said the FDA will enforce the directive to the letter, and anyone who breaches it will be prosecuted.
He said it was the best directive the FDA issued since it forms part of efforts aimed at preventing young people from abusing alcohol.
When asked if the FDA could not have taken an alternative strategy, he replied: “What is the different approach? We considered a lot of things before we arrived at this directive. So if the person has a different suggestion that is far superior to what FDA has done, we are open to the suggestions, and then we will discuss it and see whether it can be a better option than what we have done. If anybody has any suggestions, we’re open to them.”
He added that the decision by the court stretches to the point that if unknown personalities are used and they become popular, they will cease to be used because they have, through the advertisement, become celebrities.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
