Amid the brouhaha over the increasing crime rate on the city outskirts especially in Balapur and Pahadi Shareef police station limits, reports of over-the-counter (OTC) sale of medicines by the chemists doing the round in area under Jalpally and is said to be a primary reason behind the increasing crime rate in these areas.
It is found that the children as young as 10-15 years old are easily getting the medicines – which are supposed to be sold only after furnishing the prescription slip issued by the registered medical practitioners, and are using it to intoxicate themselves for pleasure. Youngsters found using short-term painkillers like Tapnice-50 and Meftal tablets which were generally prescribed to overcome the kidney pain.
Raising concern over the alarming situation in the Jalpally area, Samad Bin Siddiq, a community activist said, “Use of prohibited and intoxicating substances turning people especially youngsters into hempies. Youngsters are diluting the intoxicating tablets like Tapnice-50 and Meftal tablets into glucose and injecting it into the body using syringes which could turn fatal after the use. It is also learnt that some youngsters are even using Termin injection to stimulate the mood before workout in gymnasiums.”
According to experts, Tapnice-50 also known as tapentadol is a habit-forming medicine even at regular doses. The use of this medicine is prohibited until and unless the doctor prescribed the same. Misuse of narcotic pain medication can cause addiction and even death especially in the case of children or other people using the medicine without a prescription. Similarly, Termin injection is commonly used to treat fungal infections and high blood pressure.
It is said that the abandoned and under construction buildings in the colonies under Jalpally area became a safer haven for the youngsters to dose themselves with intoxicating medicines. “An abandoned building at Saif Colony in ward No.8 under Balapur was found full of empty strips of tablets like Tapnice-50 and Meftal presumably thrown after using the same,” he explained.
“The whole situation was created due to absence of regular inspections and prosecutions by the concerned drug inspectors as sale of over-the-counter medicines is common in Pahadi Shareef area under Balapur mandal,” informed Arifuddin, a resident of Pahadi Shareef.
Apart from this, he said, use of ganja (marijuana) and other intoxicating substances became common in Pahadi Shareef area leading to crime like quarrelling with neighbours, group fighting and creating nuisance every moving day.
