Syringe sale ban: Experts fear move may trigger ‘shared needle’ culture

Tribune News Service

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Bathinda, July 7

A day after the district administration banned the sale of syringes without doctors’ prescription, social activists and experts said the decision would hardly discourage those who are hooked to intravenous drugs. They said it might encourage the “needle sharing” culture, leading to transmission of chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

The experts said there were better ways to handle the drug menace or prevent youth from taking to intravenous drugs. They are of the view that such decisions must be revoked and if these were not monitored in a proper manner, these would cause “irreparable damage” to society.

Talking to The Tribune, Harmilap Singh Grewal, a city-based social activist, said, “The intravenous drug users (IDUs) are not going to kick the habit overnight. Imposing a ban on the sale of syringes without doctors’ prescription will encourage addicts to explore other alternatives such as needle sharing which would make them prone to contracting serious diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis. Needle sharing will pose a risk to others in society as well. Such bans would not discourage addicts from substance abuse in any way.”

“Besides needle sharing, IDUs would tend to use syringes of animals (husbandry) or manage it through other illegal channels such as RMPs or from hundreds of touts (unqualified medical practitioners) operating in the rural belt of the region,” added Grewal.

A former senior functionary of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), on condition of anonymity, said, “It is a welcome step to curb the drug menace in the district. But a big question is that the move will really prove to be fruitful. Shared needles among IDUs had always been a concern and on numerous occasions, it has come to the fore that addicts undergoing treatment are affected by serious transmittable illnesses. The move would barely act as deterrent for IDUs and managing syringes for them would not be a difficult task. They may even go for used syringes or procure them at high rates through illegal channels.”

He added that plugging such loopholes would be a huge challenge before the administration and it is yet to be seen how actively administration, drug inspectors and police curbs the sale of syringes without prescription.

On Friday, Sakshi Sawhney, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Bathinda, using power conferred under Section 144 of CrPC, imposed a ban on the sale of syringes without written prescription from a doctor.