On the occasion of World Alcohol-Free Day (October 3, 2025), Ghanaian youth advocates, championed by the Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana), have launched a powerful movement urging their peers and the government to prioritize sober living, citing alarming national statistics on alcohol use.

Under the global theme “Enjoy More,” the youth reject the societal notion that alcohol is a prerequisite for fun, connection, and belonging.

Advocates argue that choosing an alcohol-free life is a commitment to reclaiming energy for education, sports, family, and national development, while ending cycles of violence and poverty fueled by alcohol misuse.

National Data Reveals Concerning Usage

The urgent youth appeal is underscored by sobering public health data, particularly from the 2023 Ghana STEPS Survey, which paints a worrying picture of consumption across the adult population:

-Overall Use: 22.6% of Ghanaian adults aged 18-69 are classified as current alcohol users.

-Gender Disparity: Usage shows a stark gender disparity, with 30.6% of men compared to 14.5% of women consuming alcohol.

-Rural vs. Urban: The prevalence of current alcohol use is significantly higher in rural areas (28.4%) compared to urban areas (18.6%).

Youth advocate Francisca Amuzu of VAST-Ghana stressed that these figures represent a personal reality: “These are not statistics to us; they are our classmates, friends, and families.”

Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reinforces the gravity of the crisis, warning that alcohol is the leading risk factor for death and disability among people aged 20 to 39, causing about 13% of all deaths in this critical age group.

Furthermore, those who start drinking in their teens face up to four times the risk of alcohol dependence later in life.

Reclaiming Joy and Dignity

VAST-Ghana youth spokespersons argued that the prevalent marketing and societal norms surrounding alcohol rob young Ghanaians of the very happiness they promise.

Winston D. Gamor, a youth advocate with the NCD Alliance, Ghana, emphasized the disconnect between perception and reality:

“For too long, alcohol has been presented as the key foundational need for fun, friendship, and belonging, but this is wrong… Yet when we look around us, all we see is how often it robs young people and families of the very joy it promises.”

The “Enjoy More” theme, convened globally by Movendi International, highlights that true joy, creativity, and deeper connections thrive in alcohol-free environments.

Godfred Tweneboah-Kodua, a VAST-Ghana youth advocate, articulated the vision for this generation:

“As the vibrant voices of Ghana's youth, we stand united in this celebration, reclaiming our energy for school, sports, innovation, and the families who raised us with hopes, not heartaches.”

The advocates detailed the devastating human cost of alcohol misuse, including road traffic accidents, domestic tension, abject poverty, and the silent stigmatization faced by children whose parents struggle with addiction.

A Call for Immediate Regulatory Action

To turn these words into tangible change, VAST-Ghana is urgently calling for the Ministry of Health to finalize the development and passage of the comprehensive alcohol regulation—a process that has stalled. This demand builds on recommendations from the May 2025 WHO-SAFER workshop in Ghana, which called for stricter marketing bans, age limits, and taxation to curb youth access.

The organization further urged leaders to prioritize public health over profit and highlighted the inspirational example of Ghanaian hiplife legend Lord Kenya, who successfully overcame alcohol and drug addiction.

“I lost years to the bottle, but sobriety gave me back my music, my family, my life,” Lord Kenya is quoted as saying, serving as a beacon of hope for recovery.

Labram Musah, Executive Director of VAST-Ghana, framed the day as a generational mandate:

“World Alcohol-Free Day, 2025 is our chance to rewrite the story. We want the world to see us not as a lost generation, but as a generation that dares to say no to harm and yes to life.”

The youth are inviting all stakeholders to join their movement, asserting that choosing an alcohol-free life is choosing "more hope, more love, and more future."