Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 13: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by law student Atharv Mahajan seeking special drive by J&K Police to check growing menace of drugs amongst youth, Division Bench of State High Court comprising First Puisne Judge Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sanjay Kumar Gupta has directed that pharmaceutical drugs shall not be sold without proper prescription.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi and Advocate Deepika Mahajan appearing for the PIL submitted that the respondents are not taking any effective steps to prevent the menace of pharmaceutical drugs and the Drug Controller is under obligation to ensure that the drugs, which are capable of being used as narcotic drugs, are not supplied to the medical stores.
It was further submitted that the Narcotics Control Bureau should also suggest some measures to the Drug Controller to prevent misuse of the drugs as narcotics and psychotropic substances.
After hearing both the sides, DB directed Drug Controller to place on record an action plan to ensure monitoring of the sale and supply of the pharmaceutical drugs to various medicine outlets in the State. DB also directed NCB Jammu to suggest some measures to the Drug Controller to prevent misuse of the drugs.
“The status report in this regard shall be filed by the Narcotics Control Bureau, Jammu, by the next date of hearing”, the DB said, adding “Drug Inspectors shall ensure that the pharmaceutical drugs are not misused and sold without proper prescription. Any violation in this regard shall be viewed seriously”.
Finding the status report filed on behalf of the respondents as vague in so far it pertains to the treatment offered to the drug addicts, DB directed official respondents to furnish particulars of the persons to whom the treatments are given under Sanjeevani Programme.
DB further directed Additional Advocate General to file status report with regard to the action taken by the Drug Inspectors for seizure of the pharmaceutical drugs which are to be used as narcotics and psychotropic substances in respect of Jammu, Samba and Kathua, by the next date of hearing.
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