The nationwide boycott of narcotics and psychotropic drugs, initiated by the retailers and wholesalers under the banner of the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) this week, is likely to affect nearly 12 per cent of total sales of drugs in the domestic market, according to pharmaceutical trade.

According to them, narcotics and psychotropic drugs constitute about 7 to 12 per cent of the overall domestic drug market, contributing an annual business turnover of about Rs 1500 crore, and most of the major drug companies are likely to be affected by the indefinite boycott.

Though the retail outlets are unlikely to experience shortage at present, it will be definitely felt within two to three weeks. Normally, medical shops stock these drugs for three to four weeks.

Psychotropic and narcotic drugs include hundreds of brands and most of the companies have separate psychiatry and neurology division. Some of the fast moving brands in these categories include Trika of Unichem Laboratories, Cipla's Restyl (anxiolytics), Lonazep from Sun Pharma, Torrent's Clonotril, Petril of Micro labs, Chericof, Zanlop, Fortwin etc. from Ranbaxy, similar drugs like Pentavon (Jagsonpal), Pentawin(Biochem), Penzyl(Sigma Labs), Expergesic of Win Medicare, Fortagesic of Sanofi, Tidigesic from Sun Pharma, Torrent's Alprax, Nicholas Piramal's Librium, Zydus Cadilla's Zoldac etc. Drugs like Alprazolam, morphine, codeine, chlordizepoxide, diazepam, flurazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam, and oxazepam are some of the narcotics that are being boycotted by the traders.

According to All Kerala Chemists and Druggists Association (AKCDA) sources, the consumption of psychotropic and narcotic drugs is more in the state by around 15 per cent of the total drug sales to the tune of Rs 750 crore, in comparison to other states.

However, few trade sources opine that since most of the states have one or more drug traders' associations other than the associations that come under AIOCD fold, the impact would be not much reflected on the public as hyped by the AIOCD sources.