Aizawl, Oct 6 : Mizoram Health Minister Lalrinpuii on Tuesday warned that the government would not hesitate to cancel drug licences of dealers violating the law, amid growing concerns over the widespread abuse and illegal sale of pharmaceutical drugs, particularly codeine syrup, in the state.
In a social media post, the minister said an inter-ministerial meeting was held here on Monday to discuss the alarming rise in pharmaceutical drug abuse.
The meeting was attended by Excise Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar, officials of the Health and Excise and Narcotics departments, and representatives of the Central Young Mizo Association (YMA).
The meeting noted that the rapid fall in the supply of heroin, considered one of the state’s most serious drug-related threats, had driven many people towards the abuse of pharmaceutical drugs, Lalrinpuii said.
It also discussed seizures of drugs intended for misuse and the arrest and prosecution of several people, including licensed medicine dealers, over irregularities in the procurement and sale of medicines, she said.
According to the minister, codeine syrup was identified as the most widely abused pharmaceutical drug in Mizoram, with large quantities reportedly entering the state and being sold without prescriptions despite being a prescription-only medicine.
The abuse has spread among young people, adults and even children, she said.
Lalrinpuii said that restrictions had made the medicine difficult to obtain even for patients who genuinely needed it through legitimate pharmacies, while its illegal sale continued on a large scale.
She also expressed concern over the alleged involvement of some drug dealers and people posing as medical representatives in the trade, adding that drugs liable to abuse had reached even remote corners of the state.
According to her, the meeting also discussed cases in which labels on codeine syrup bottles were allegedly replaced with those of other medicines to conceal their identity.
Several such bottles had been seized, and some people linked to the illegal trade had been arrested, the minister said.
“The government would take strict action against those misusing drug licences granted in good faith to profit from the sale of drugs liable to abuse,” Lalrinpuii said, adding that licences of those failing to comply with the law would be revoked and new licences would be issued with extreme caution.
She also urged the Excise and Narcotics department to pursue its investigation vigorously and called on the Food and Drug Administration and the Central YMA to continue their follow-up action.
