According to a recent report by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the eCommerce boom in India has resulted in a significant rise in online pharmacies, which in return has led to an increased pharmaceutical drug use and their abuse.
NCB's annual report for 2015 revealed that the abuse of pharmaceutical drugs in India has increased to dangerously serious levels, with the situation in the northwest and northeast regions of the country much worse than rest of the country.
The report by the intelligence agency states that illegal Internet Pharmacy websites from Europe, USA etc. are flourishing like never before by providing unregulated trade in a number of prescription medicines over the online world. These websites have established a firm grip in the Indian subcontinent as suppliers.
The report further adds, these illegal online pharmacies are passing the orders from the customers to Indian agents, who then have the responsibility of procuring the medicines from either legal or illegal sources and then dispatch them to the paying customers through the means of courier and mail.
The volume of posts coming from abroad makes it almost impossible for the officials to manually check each and every parcel, thus allowing these illegal consignments to pass under the noses of the authorities completely undetected.
The NCB report also talks about how most of the Internet pharmacies are highly vulnerable and try keeping the organisers identity secret. But, in India, NCB in coordination with a number of other agencies isn't letting such illegal online pharmacies get away so easily and are successfully doing a high-profile bust almost every year.
Buprenorphine, codeine-based cough syrups, alprazolam, diazepam and a number of other sedatives are some of the most abused pharmaceutical products in India, according to the report. A majority of these above mentioned drugs are easily available in medical shops which makes it an important factor in encouraging their misuse.
The report also busts the perception that these pharmaceutical drugs are less harmful when compared to hard drugs like heroin, cocaine etc. Most of these pharmaceutical drugs are equally addictive as the hard drugs and can have adverse effect on one's health. It is important to know that any pharmaceutical having arcotic/psychotropic substances comes under the purview of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act and the NDPS Act in India.
IndianWeb2 feels that the NCB puts forth some startling facts and the concerned authorities need to take immediate actions, so that the youth of the country doesn't get caught up in this deadly cycle of drugs.
[Top Image - Shutterstock]
NCB's annual report for 2015 revealed that the abuse of pharmaceutical drugs in India has increased to dangerously serious levels, with the situation in the northwest and northeast regions of the country much worse than rest of the country.
The report by the intelligence agency states that illegal Internet Pharmacy websites from Europe, USA etc. are flourishing like never before by providing unregulated trade in a number of prescription medicines over the online world. These websites have established a firm grip in the Indian subcontinent as suppliers.
The report further adds, these illegal online pharmacies are passing the orders from the customers to Indian agents, who then have the responsibility of procuring the medicines from either legal or illegal sources and then dispatch them to the paying customers through the means of courier and mail.
The volume of posts coming from abroad makes it almost impossible for the officials to manually check each and every parcel, thus allowing these illegal consignments to pass under the noses of the authorities completely undetected.
The NCB report also talks about how most of the Internet pharmacies are highly vulnerable and try keeping the organisers identity secret. But, in India, NCB in coordination with a number of other agencies isn't letting such illegal online pharmacies get away so easily and are successfully doing a high-profile bust almost every year.
Buprenorphine, codeine-based cough syrups, alprazolam, diazepam and a number of other sedatives are some of the most abused pharmaceutical products in India, according to the report. A majority of these above mentioned drugs are easily available in medical shops which makes it an important factor in encouraging their misuse.
The report also busts the perception that these pharmaceutical drugs are less harmful when compared to hard drugs like heroin, cocaine etc. Most of these pharmaceutical drugs are equally addictive as the hard drugs and can have adverse effect on one's health. It is important to know that any pharmaceutical having arcotic/psychotropic substances comes under the purview of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act and the NDPS Act in India.
IndianWeb2 feels that the NCB puts forth some startling facts and the concerned authorities need to take immediate actions, so that the youth of the country doesn't get caught up in this deadly cycle of drugs.
[Top Image - Shutterstock]
Advertisements