28000 CHEMISTS in Punjab decide not to buy or sell medicines having six salts

Ferozepur, March 26, 2013: The Punjab Chemists Association has decided not to buy or sell six sales because of their harassment under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. There are over 28,000 chemists in Punjab. The prohibition of drugs through statuary legislation or religious law is a common means of attempting to prevent drug use.  

The Pharmacy, Guardian, 98.4 Degree shops in metro cities have already stopped the selling of any medicine without the prescription of a doctor besides issuing a bill for each medicine purchased. With the decision of the Punjab Chemists Association, the genuine patients who cannot even afford the fee of specialist doctors to get the prescription would be main sufferer. But in view of Punjab, known as ‘Land of Five Rivers’ is now flowing with ‘Drugs River', something constructive has to be done to have a check over the misuse of drugs in the state.  

The six salts are dextropropoxyphene, nitrazepam, pentazocine injection, buprenorphine, codeine and diazepam. The Punjab Chemists Association today handed over memorandums to the Civil Surgeons in their area in this regard.

In fact, the NDPS Act was formulated in 1985 to set out the statutory framework for drug law enforcement in India. The main elements of the control regime mandated by the Act are : The cultivation, production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transportation, warehousing, consumption, inter-State movement, transshipment and import and export of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is prohibited, except for medical or scientific purposes and in accordance with the terms and conditions of any license, permit or authorisation given by the Government and the Central Government is empowered to regulate the cultivation production, manufacture, import, export, sale, consumption, use etc of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

As per the Sources, the drug licences are renewed every five years. Now on the call of Punjab Chemists Association, chemists, including those whose licences are yet to be renewed, across the state have decided not to sell or buy these drugs from today.

Around a year ago, the state government had decided to stop the sale and purchase of these drugs having these six salts by the chemists with an aim to keep a check on the misuse of these drugs by addicts. The state government decided to put a red stamp on drug licences while renewing them which meant that the licensees could no longer sell or purchase these drugs. This decision will check the easy availability of these drugs.

The possession of drugs is a victimless crime that can be committed in privacy. While most drugs are legal to possess, many governments regulate the manufacture, distribution, marketing, and sale of some drugs, for instance through a prescription system. Only certain drugs are banned with a "blanket prohibition" against all use. However, a continuing problem remains in effect, as the prohibited drugs continue to be available through illegal trade.

The most widely banned substances include psychoactive drugs, although blanket prohibition also extends to some steroids and other drugs. Many governments do not criminalize the possession of a limited quantity of certain drugs for personal use, while still prohibiting their sale or manufacture, or possession in large quantities.

The scourge of drug addiction has reached epidemic proportions and the Punjab is already presenting a grim scenario of drug smuggling, which is possible only due to the connivance of peddlers of border villages and some people in the forces who are lured with quick monetary benefits. This menace has assumed alarming proportions as drugs continue to be smuggled into the state with ease, reflecting poorly on the police. There is a need to check the easy availability of drugs is going to ruin the youth by switching over to the sale of drugs including banned, through the prescribed prescription of a doctor to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription.