Pharmacists in Tiruppur district are struggling to prevent the sale of habit-forming drugs by unauthorised drug dealers who obtain supplies through online orders.
The Directorate of Drug Control Administration, which operates under the administrative control of the Commissioner of Food Safety and the Drug Administration Department, is closely monitoring the sale of drugs such as Tapentadol, Tramadol, Codeine Phosphate, and Nitrazepam, commonly misused for their habit-forming properties, and taking stringent action against offenders. Official data reveals that 448 cases were registered from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, against pharmacies across Tamil Nadu for the unauthorised sale of prescription drugs.
In Tiruppur, meetings are held almost every month with around 600 pharmacists across the city, said P. Lakshmanan, Secretary of the Chemists and Druggists Association, Tiruppur. “Officials from the Drug Administration and Health Departments are invited to these meetings to inform pharmacists about the dos and don’ts,” Mr. Lakshmanan said and stressed the need for stringent action against those obtaining and selling drugs surreptitiously online.
According to a press release from the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration, action has been taken against 11 pharmacy outlets in the past year for the over-the-counter sale of painkillers, sleep-inducing pills, and psychotropic drugs in violation of the Drugs Rules, 1945. Four of these shops have been sealed.
The press release also stated that unauthorised drug dealers involved in the online procurement of prescription drugs would be dealt with firmly by the Police Department.
