The Central Government has amended the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules 1985 to put an end to the documentation problems and harassment allegedly faced by the chemists and druggists of the country.

With the amendment that came on February 25, 2005, the chemists have been exempted from furnishing consignment note in the Form 7. Instead they will have to furnish the details in Form 6. The amendment has also stated that the consignment note in Form 6 will not be applicable in cases where the sale of psychotropic substances is accompanied by an invoice or cash memo or any other document duly signed by the consignor or his authorized signatory.

The document should have details like name, address and license number of the consignor and consignee, description, batch number and quantity, mode and particulars of transport. The notification also stipulates preservation of the documents for two years. In case the consignee is a research institution, registered medical practitioner, hospital or dispensary, the requirement of license number is not applicable.

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has welcomed the government decision.

AIOCD was on a nationwide protest during the last several weeks due to the Form 7 requirement in the NDPS Rules. They had stopped purchase of stocks, which had created apprehension over the availability of drugs like alprazolam, morphine, codeine, chlordizepoxide, diazepam, flurazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam, oxazepam etc.

As pharmabiz had reported earlier, the Act was passed with an objective to put a check on drugs abuse and illegal trafficking of certain psychotropic substances within and outside the country as per the international protocol. It was also intended to prevent the misuse of narcotics by chemists, who stock these drugs in their shops.