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Delhi govt orders CCTV cameras in chemist shops to curb misuse of medicines

To stop the misuse of medicines, the Delhi government has asked all pharmacies and medical stores to install CCTVs on their premises by July 31, news agency ANI reported. This move aims to control the sale of low-quality drugs and medicines that are often misused without a prescription. The order mainly focuses on high-risk medicines like codeine-based cough syrups, alprazolam tablets, and tramadol capsules. These are drugs that can be misused for intoxication and are often consumed by minors without proper medical supervision. NCORD meeting sparks action against misuse This move follows a meeting held under the 11th National Narcotics Coordination Portal (NCORD). The main goal of the meeting was to find ways to stop the sale of prescription drugs listed under Schedule H, H1, and X without a doctor's advice. Authorities acted after getting complaints that these drugs were being misused not only by people but also in other industries like textiles, chemicals, and food. The Delhi government, along with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), hopes that setting up CCTV cameras will help in tracking and reducing illegal drug sales, the news report said. On this decision, an official letter said: "As per provisions of the National Narcotics Coordination Portal, in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Bureau, has been advised to stop, prevent and discourage the sale of dual-use medicines without prescription and an advisory dated August 1, 2024 on this matter was already issued earlier." i Understanding Schedule H, H1, and X drugs *Schedule H drugs include commonly used medicines like painkillers and flu drugs. Though they need a prescription, they are often sold over the counter without one. *Schedule H1 drugs come under stricter rules. Chemists are required to maintain a record of these sales, including the doctor's and patient's details. *Schedule X drugs are under the highest level of regulation. These include psychotropic substances, which have a high risk of misuse. They can only be sold with a valid prescription, and their storage is closely checked by authorities. All chemists and medical shops have been asked to install CCTV cameras by the end of this month. The cameras are expected to act as a deterrent to illegal sales and help authorities keep a better watch over medicine distribution.