Jharkhand HC orders govt to ensure cough syrups are not sold to those without prescriptions

Ranchi, Nov 26 The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday directed the government and the state drug controller to ensure that cough syrups and other psychotic drugs are not sold to those without medical prescriptions.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Sunil Kumar Mahto on the rampant sale of cough syrups in the capital.

The syrups and other psychotic drugs are sold illegally to people without medical prescriptions, Mahto mentioned in his petition.

Mahto went on to inform the court that cough syrups and other intoxicating medicines are illegally sold by medicine shops in the state capital.

The cough syrups and medicines are consumed by school students and result in severe substance and medicine abuse, taking a toll on their mental and physical health, the petitioner said.

The bench, taking a serious note of the matter, ordered the state drug controller to ensure that no medical store should sell cough syrups and intoxicating medicines to anyone without proper medical prescription.

The court also ordered the drug controller to conduct frequent raids and check the stocks of medicines of stores and pharmaceutical companies operating in the state.

The court directed the state government to file a compliance report of the directions issued. The case will again be heard on December 12.