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Fighting Form 6

Fighting Form 6 a war that started early this year between the government and India's chemists and druggists over drugs containing psychotropic substances (psds) is about to end. After receiving assurance from the government, the latter have agreed to suspend their protest ban on the sale of psds and make them available to consumers till February 25, 2005. By then the government might issue an amendment to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (ndps), 1985, the bone of contention between the two parties. What is unfortunate is that the move will push the issues of misuse of drugs and drug trafficking under the carpet.

Chemists and druggists allege that the ndps is used to harass them. Nearly 5,50,000 of them took psds, including painkillers, anti-depressants and cancer treatment drugs, off their shelves from February 1, 2005, in protest. "After holding meetings with concerned parties, the government has decided to issue an amendment to the controversial Rule 67 of the ndps. We are working with them to finalise it,' says J S Shinde, secretary general, All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (aicod), Mumbai. But if the government doesn't act by February 25, the ban on these drugs will be reinforced.

In the storm's eye: Rule 67 At the heart of the controversy is sub-rule 4 of Rule 67 of ndps Act. It requires manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of psds to fill up a document called "form 6' or consignment note, in triplicate, every time they deal in psds. They also have to

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