Dr Stamps
Marcia Gore, Herald Reporter
Health advisor to the President and Cabinet, Dr Timothy Stamps, has expressed concern over the increase in illegally imported alcohol beverages and the flouting of regulations by importers and brewers.In an interview with the Herald at the launch of the Medical and Health Expo in Harare recently, Dr Stamps said illegal alcohol products were flooding the market.
“There are very simple regulations that were put in place for manufacturers and distributors like placing a health warning and alcohol content of the products in a visible area on the label but this is ignored and nothing has been done about it. Our greatest worry is that some of these products are imported. We then wonder how they are cleared and end up in our stores. Some of the products are illegally imported but the problem is that you will still find them in our shops,” he said.
Statutory Instrument 25 of 2001 makes it mandatory for alcohol labels to carry health warning notices.
“Every alcohol label shall contain health warning notices and health advisory statements in the form set out in the schedule or otherwise approved by the Secretary for Health and Child Welfare,” reads the regulations.