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Cough up this habit

Tomorrow is International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking

MARIJUANA A run-away kid puffing for the kick PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK

A peg of whiskey may not give the desired 'kick' but a 30 ml. bottle of certain common cough syrups can 'lift' the spirits of the youth. Whereas a pint of whiskey would cost Rs. 120, the syrup is available for Rs.40.

What's more, youth are finding the latter a better option, as it doesn't produce any smell betraying them before their parents. There are some others who use injections. By the time these youth realise their folly it would be too late as they come to a stage where they cannot live without the drug. They start stealing money from their homes and pay more to get their 'quota' of the Schedule H drug without prescription.

A few months ago a drug store at Railway New Colony procured thousands of ampoules of Tidigesic injections in a single month. The chemist was clandestinely selling the injections to addicts at higher prices. Despite frequent warnings and raids by the Drug Administration, some unscrupulous chemists continue to indulge in such activities.

Licences cancelled

The licences of 135 medical shop dealers in the metro have been suspended during 2003 of which 39 were cancelled. In the next year, 132 licences were suspended and 33 cancelled and this year, 24 licences have been suspended so far. Of these, 12 have already been cancelled and 17 are pending cancellation.

The main cause (80 per cent cases) for suspension of licences is the sale of habit-forming drugs without a bill and without prescription. The remaining 20 per cent of the cases relate to other violations.

This speaks volumes of the problem and the tendency of some unscrupulous chemists to make a fast buck even if that means playing with the health of youth.

Abuse on the rise

"The use of cough syrup by youth as an alternative to alcohol is on the rise due to its easy availability. They collect the drug from different shops and once they get habituated they strike a deal with some chemists and manage to get their quota regularly. This has been brought down considerably with the intervention of the present Drugs Inspector," says the Superintendent of the Government Hospital for Mental Care, G. Bhagya Rao.

He, however, notes that the abuse of cough syrups and injections like morphin, phidine, fortwyn is minimal compared to the overall percentage of drug abuse.

Says Dr. Bhagya Rao: "About 70 per cent of those who come to our hospital for treatment are alcoholics, 15 per cent are addicted to ganja (not used in the preparation of pharmaceutical drugs), five per cent to opium derivatives and the cough syrup and injection addicts are a fraction of the remaining 10 per cent of the cases."

The Assistant Professor of Paediatrics in Andhra Medical College, P. Venugopal, feels sad that healthy adolescents and youth are consuming codeine drugs after mixing it in soft drinks or alcohol.

"These drugs are Schedule H drugs and cannot be sold across the counter without a proper prescription. Doctors should also clearly write the number of bottles that can be given to a patient, and chemists should make a note on the prescription at the time of issuing the drugs. This would prevent misuse of the drugs to some extent. Codeine drugs are, however, very useful in the treatment of patients and cannot be banned," says Dr. Venugopal.

Control measures

According to the Drug Inspector, Ravi Uday Bhaskar, prosecution has been launched against the accused in the Tidigesic injections case in January last and the trial is on. "If the charges are proved, the accused could be sentenced to three years imprisonment," he says.

Codeine phosphate is the main ingredient in the habit-forming drugs. As an individual molecule, it is a narcotic. When the movement of these drugs is under control in the district, addicts are getting their stocks from neighbouring districts.

"We were able to create a fear psychosis among chemists about the futility of selling prescription drugs without bills. About 95 per cent are adhering to the rules," claims Mr. Uday Bhaska.

Abortion pills

Of late, there are complaints of unmarried girls purchasing abortion pills in bigger metros like Hyderabad and Mumbai. Though no complaint has been received in Vizag that does not mean that this metro is free of the problem. These pills can be used for termination of pregnancy only on the advice of a gynaecologist. They cannot be sold without a prescription.

Though the Drug Inspector is taking stern measures against erring chemists, how effectively can a single officer monitor all the drug stores in the city? He has to attend to complaints, file complaints and also attend courts. Then there is also the problem of some drug dealers procuring stocks from other districts without proper bills and selling them here. Now restrictions have been placed on them to procure the stocks only from wholesalers in the district.

Awareness needed

"There should be greater awareness among the people about the dangers of using habit-forming drugs. Addiction to these drugs has resulted in scarcity and non-availability to patients who are in need of these drugs," says the State president of the AP Medical and Sales Representatives Union, Subrahmanyam.

"I have seen empty bottles of these cough syrups dumped on playgrounds at Kallupakalu and on Beach Road which is an indication that they are being extensively used by youth and thrown at secluded spots," he says.

De-addiction

The Government Hospital for Mental Care offers free treatment to all cases of drug addiction. "Sudden withdrawal or stoppage of the intake of drugs would result in serious reactions among patients. These include shivering, body pains, stomach cramps, loose motions and sweating. We admit the serious cases and treat them for a week. While those addicted to cough syrups recover fully and 80 per cent of them do not revert to the old habit, about half of those addicted to injections get back to the habit even after treatment," says Dr. Bhagya Rao.

Habits die hard, and relying on drugs for 'temporary relief' can prove to be a costly bet for youth.

B. MADHU GOPAL

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