The decision has been taken. All spirits or what many commonly refer to as hot drinks will henceforth be produced under the guidance of well defined standards.

Experts who met in Yaounde to discuss how best to tackle problems related to illicitly produced whiskies, notably those retailed in sachets, ended their reflection with far-reaching decisions. One of such has to do with the rules governing the production of the said liquor. Special focus is on liquor sold in sachets.

In effect, whiskies in sachets fall under the group of liquor that is produced without the least respect for norms. The effects have been quite devastating with several consumers losing their lives. The danger with whiskies in sachets is the popularity it has gained particularly during burial and funeral ceremonies. In some cultures burials are only complete if whiskies in sachets or kitoko as they are popularly called are served to mourners. Odontol, Ha, Alki and other locally produced spirits are quite popular and increasingly consumed by many a people.

The nefarious consequences have not been keeping authorities of the Ministry of Trade and those of the National Agency for standards (ANOR) at ease. From the look of things, days are being numbered for whiskies in sachet in particular considering the banning of the use of plastic bags come April 24. That, certainly, is another issue, but the real problem for now as observed by experts in charge of norms is the irregular manner with which they are produced. The percentage level of alcohol is not known, the packaging poor and the consumption uncontrollable. The extension of norms to this set of liquor is a stick that may save nine.