Excise Officials Nab One, Seize 102 Bottles of Banned Cough Syrup

Quick summary

• The Rangareddy excise enforcement team arrested a man, identified as Moosam Lakshman, and seized 102 codeine phosphate cough syrup bottles on Thursday.
• Authorities discovered individuals are using the banned syrup for intoxication due to difficulty obtaining drugs like ganja or MDMA.
• Investigations revealed Lakshman was storing the syrups at his residence and selling them at ₹350 per bottle,while the maximum retail price is ₹190.
• sale of codeine phosphate syrup without a doctor’s prescription is prohibited by drug authorities; however, illegal distribution persists.
• Excise officials requested action from the Drugs Control Administration against medical outlets selling these syrups.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The incident underscores a growing concern about substance abuse trends in India, where addicts are resorting to choice methods for intoxication due to rising costs or restricted access to conventional narcotics like ganja and MDMA. codeine phosphate cough syrup abuse reflects both an economic issue-lower cost compared to cannabis-and regulatory challenges in controlling its sale despite clear prohibitions. establishing stricter supply chain monitoring from manufacturers to outlets could help address this gap effectively. This case also highlights the urgency of coordinating law enforcement with public health awareness campaigns targeting addiction prevention.

Read more: The Hindu