Overview

In today’s scenario where illicit drug trafficking and drug abuse pose a great threat to the society, the competent Government Authorities of every country are constantly strengthening respective NDPS regulations in order to have better control over such misuse.

Global outlook and the legitimate side of NDPS usage:

Pharmaceutical companies offer several treatment options in the healthcare system by using such NDP Substances as active ingredients. Few example are:

  • Opioid analgesics like morphine or synthetic opioid like Fentanyl are indispensable for the treatment of pain caused by cancer, HIV/ AIDS, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes, childbirth, surgery, injuries and other conditions or situations.

  • Consumption of psychotropic substances, which are used for the treatment of mental and neurological disorders, such as anxiety, insomnia and epilepsy.

  • Ketamine an anesthetic,psychedelic drug, used to induce a loss of consciousness and relieve pain during surgery and also used in the condition of depression, anxiety and mental disorder,

  • Tramadol, as a synthetic opioid. It acts in the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain.

Globally, the use of different NDPS drugs varies across countries and among different population groups and their demand are increasing over the periods. Worldwide, people still have limited or no access to medicines containing NDPS and controlled substance, leaving substantial part of the world population without access to proper pain relief treatment. Further, inadequate availability and poor access to necessary medical treatment, as well as excessive availability and unsound misuse all pose challenges to their control and use.

International government acknowledges this fact and therefore appropriate provisions have been made in NDPS Laws so as to enable such legitimate use by pharma companies with ease of business and aimed to achieve the dual objective of limiting the use of narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes as well as preventing their diversion from licit sources, and prohibiting illicit traffic and misuse. The overall goal of the international drug control conventions is a well-functioning national and international system for managing the availability by ensuring the safe and rational delivery of the best affordable drugs to those patients who need them and, at the same time, preventing the diversion of such drugs for the purpose of abuse.

Most of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances can be manufactured, traded, imported and exported under permission from appropriate Competent Authorities by complying prescribed guidelines and protocols.

Here, DILIGENT ASSOCIATES plays a pivotal role on behalf of its countrywide clients, who are intended to get necessary licenses, approvals and permission for manufacturing and import and export of these NDPS and Precursor drugs.

Various Ministries and Government Dept.:

The basic legislative instrument of the Government of India in the regard is the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Various Ministries and Departments under the Government of India as well as the State Governments exercise various functions pertaining to drug demand and supply reduction. The NDPS Act divides the powers and responsibility of regulation of licit activities between state and central government. Section 9 of the Act has listed various activities which the Central Government can, by rules, regulate while section 10 lists various activities which the State Governments can, by rules, regulate. Thus, we have NDPS Rules of the Central Government and the State NDPS Rules framed by each State Government under the same Act. These are enforced by the Central or concerned State Government. The aspect of drug supply reduction is looked after by various enforcement agencies under the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs and State Governments. The aspect of drug demand reduction is handled by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and that of treatment of drug addicts and their rehabilitation falls under the domain of the Ministry of Health.

Government liaison is a key strength of DILIGENT ASSOCIATES, which helps its clients in getting timely and coveted permissions/license from appropriate authorities.