Most people in the Lawra district in the Upper West Region are reported to have taken to the drinking of a local ‘Akpeteshie’, alcoholic drink, a situation that had been the concern of opinion leaders in the community.The youth,the elderly and women are said to be drinking ‘Akpeteshie’ in excess to the detriment of their businesses and other economic activities such as farming, which is their main source of livelihood. No one can explain why they have adopted that drinking habit.What is worrying concerned residents is that most of the people are reported to be taking the drink on empty stomachs which is affecting their health.Mr. Cletus Ziedeng, a staff of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), raised this concern during an open forum when the Lawra district took its turn at the People’s Assembly here.He said the effect of the drink on the people of the area has assumed alarming proportions that people’s faces are changing as a result of the malnourishment.Mr Ziedeng called for a vigorous educational campaign to help fight the menace or ‘the district must be prepared to pump in more money to cure the sick.He suggested the war against the in-take of akpeteshie in the area must be fought like the education on the HIV/AIDS pandemic to save the youth from being destroyed.He suggested to those drinking ‘Akpeteshie’ to rather take the "Dargare Pito" which to him was nutritious and nourishing to the body and could serve as an energy booster.He called on the chiefs, opinion leaders and those in high positions to join hands to fight the Akpeteshie menace to save the district’s economy from collapse.Spectator