Alcohol Abuse in Africa: The Case of Ghana Alcohol is a commonly abused substance on most continents and Africa is no exception. Unlike the United States, where alcohol is the second most commonly used drug, in Africa it is the most abused substance. This could be attributed to the fact that most cultural or traditional ceremonies use alcohol in one way or another. In Ghana – West Africa – for example, during the baptism ceremony of a newborn, the child is given a drop of alcohol and then a drop of water with the belief that the child will recognize the difference when he grows up. It is common to find alcoholic beverages served on occasions such as birth, death, marriage, and promotion at work (Dordoye, 2009). Ghana recognizes three main religions: Christianity, Islam and West African Traditional Religion (WATR). WATR was in force in Ghana before the advent of Christianity and Islam. Alcohol plays a very important role in WATR and since it is the oldest religion, it is intertwined with some rituals of the other religions. In some Christian beliefs such as Catholicism, the use of alcohol in moderation is permitted, but any form of use is prohibited in Islam. Although alcohol consumption is acceptable in most parts of Ghana, substance abuse is not encouraged. Ghanaians have always used the moral model where they try to pray to a drug addict to come out of the addiction and also tend to attach a stigma to people who abuse alcohol. . They are seen as weak people who cannot control their drinking habits. As a result, people do not seek treatment until it becomes a mental health problem (White, 2012). Using the biopsychosocial model, I will be able to observe alcoholism in Ghana from...... middle of the paper...... emike.wix.com/recovery-africa#!about/c1ervSawyer-Kurian, KM , Wechsberg, W. M., & Luseno, W. K. (2009). Exploring differences and similarities between Black/African men and men of color regarding violence against women, substance abuse, and HIV risks in Cape Town, South Africa. Psychology of men and masculinity, 10(1), 13-29. doi:10.1037/a0013267Slutske, W.S., D'Onofrio, B.M., Turkheimer, E., Emery, R.E., Harden, K., Heath, A.C., & Martin, N.G. (2008). Searching for an environmental effect of parental alcoholism on offspring alcohol use disorder: A genetically informed study of children of alcoholics. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117(3), 534-551. doi:10.1037/a0012907White, W. (2012). Addiction Treatment and Recovery in Ghana: An Interview with Eugene Dordoye, MD Retrieved June 16, 2014, from www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.or and www.williamwhitepapers.com