Operations of 40 Drugs Sales Establishments suspended in Jammu division

JAMMU, MARCH 26: To restrict the supply of habit-forming drugs, a special drive was conducted in Jammu Province by the enforcement staff to ensure that medicinal preparations which are prone to addiction are sold strictly for licit use and due diligence is secured by the traders to ensure that there is no divergence of such formulations to encourage drug abuse.

The Empowered Authorities encouraged the stakeholders to adopt utmost care and caution while dealing with the supply and sale of medicinal preparations which have the potential to encourage drug abuse in the society.
During the said drive, Operations of Forty Drugs Sales Establishments (08 in Jammu, 06 in Reasi, 04 in Kathua, 07 in Samba, 05 in Rajouri, 05 in Poonch, 05 in Udhampur) were disallowed on spot under section 22 (d) of Drugs & Cosmetics Act,1940 by the empowered Authorities for non-maintenance of sales records of medicinal preparations containing habit forming ingredients viz pregabailin-300 as mandated under the said Act. Show Cause Notices have been served upon erring drug sales establishments for indulging in unethical trade practices intentionally & contravening the provisions of the Act.

Moreover, in order to keep strict vigil on the movement of Psychotropic Drugs viz a viz without any prejudice to the rights of end users requiring such pharmaceutical preparations for medicinal purposes, the Department has issued Circular wherein specific restrictions have been imposed on Pharma trade fraternity to stock/sell drugs comprising of habit-forming ingredients thereof have been imposed with immediate effect.

Drugs Controller, Lotika Khajuria reiterated that in case any violation is reported by the erring firm, the defaulters shall be dealt strictly in accordance with zero-tolerance policy adopted by Union Territory of J&K against persons involved in promoting drug abuse which warrants the cancellation of such licensees as also legal mandate.