By Martin Osei Tutu
Mr Stephen Yarrow, Founder and Executive Director of Sprout Back Again Foundation, Tamale, has warned that alcohol is killing silently and Ghana is not spared.
Mr Yarrow, citing the World Health Organization, said 2.6 million people die every year globally from alcohol consumption. That is 4.7 percent of all deaths in the world. He added that alcohol is linked to more than 200 diseases, including liver failure, heart disease, cancer, and mental illness.
Mr Yarrow said new district-level data from the Ghana Statistical Service shows excessive drinking is high in many communities. He explained that the result is rising cases of non-communicable diseases, road accidents, broken families, and low productivity at workplaces.
According to Mr Yarrow, doctors describe alcohol as a depressant. He said it slows the brain, clouds judgment, and weakens self-control. For many, he noted, it starts as social drinking and ends as addiction.
Mr Yarrow explained that counsellors describe addiction as a thief in three stages. He said first, it steals. It takes away health, potential, and innocence. Then, he said, it kills. It kills ambition, relationships, and self-respect. Finally, he said, it destroys. It brings chronic sickness, violence, poverty, and family breakdown.
Mr Yarrow stated that no one plans to become an addict. He said experts say it often begins through stress, depression, peer pressure, curiosity, or a family culture that normalizes drinking. He added that easy access to alcohol, even for minors, has made the problem worse.
Mr Yarrow said what starts as weekend drinking slowly enters the mornings and workdays. He said people begin to hide bottles, avoid loved ones, and suffer blackouts. Quoting one recovering addict, Faye, Mr Yarrow said, “My addiction built steadily, and before I realized it, I had become a morning as well as an afternoon drinker. I finally knew the terrible truth: I was hooked.”
Mr Yarrow insisted that it is never too late to quit. He said recovery begins with a decision to stop, followed by detoxification, medical support, counselling, and a new routine. He cautioned that because withdrawal can be dangerous, no one should attempt it alone.
Mr Yarrow said it is in this context that the Tamale-based non-profit, Sprout Back Again Foundation LBG, with the motto “Growing Second Chances,” has launched a new campaign.
Mr Yarrow, who leads the Foundation, said it is focusing on drug abuse prevention and mental health support. He said he has openly shared his own battle with alcohol and how he nearly lost his life, and that the fight is personal.
“I was a victim and I nearly died. That is why I understand what many young people are going through,” Mr Yarrow said.
According to Mr Yarrow, the Foundation’s work covers counselling for affected persons and their families, rehabilitation to help people rebuild their lives after detox, community sensitization through peer educators and life skills training, and national advocacy for better treatment services.
Mr Yarrow noted that alcohol is often the entry point into drug abuse. He said by reaching young people early and supporting those already struggling, the cycle of addiction can be broken.
