Punjab is now being taken over by the ghode wale capsules
While the Mansa administration banned the sale of pregabalin capsules exceeding 75 mg without a prescription in 2021 in response to concerns of addicts abusing the medication, the Bathinda Chemist Association also advised registered medical store owners to refrain from selling the dosage.
Explained what is Pregabalin aka ghode wale capsules being used as a drug in Punjab
Pregabalin is banned in Punjab
Pregabalin was once used in high doses by vets in Punjab’s Malwa belt, which is known for its stud farms, to alleviate neuropathic pain in horses. The fact that these pills, also known as ghode wale capsules (capsules for horses), are not illegal under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) led to an increase in the usage of them as “recreational drugs” by addicts looking for their daily fix.
While the Mansa administration banned the sale of pregabalin capsules exceeding 75 mg without a prescription in 2021, under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, in response to concerns of addicts abusing the medication.
When dispensing the drug, chemists are required to sign the prescription slip and note the date of dispensation. Civil Surgeon Mansa has seen that some individuals are abusing Pregabalin-containing 300 mg capsules, utilising them as recreational drugs (it is also known as Signature on the street). The prohibition has been implemented in the Mansa district as a result of this usage. For disobeying orders, the district police in Mansa seized 2,500 pregabalin 300 mg capsules on May 9 and 105 capsules on June 15.
The Bathinda Chemist Association also advised registered medical store owners to refrain from selling the dosage. The Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda district explained that the legislation only allows for a three-month restriction on the sale of medicine and that the prohibition must be renewed every three months.
The misuse of Pregabalin started during the pandemic
According to a drug inspector with the state health department, the Centre approved the production of pregabalin (75 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg) in 2005 for the treatment of anxiety disorders, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain, partial seizures, alcohol and opioid withdrawal in people.
Chemist Association of Mansa district president Ajay Kumar stated, “The misuse of these capsules in Mansa was noticed around the time of the pandemic’s onset in 2020.” He claimed that up until the lockdown began, a Dehradun-based company distributed pregabalin capsules in Punjab under the brand name Signature. Due to its widespread availability and low cost (Rs 4 per capsule), Signature 300 mg quickly gained popularity among addicts. As a result, the business stopped all sales in Punjab in 2022. But after that, other businesses began producing the same medication, according to Kumar.
What are the disadvantages of Pregabalin?
Pregabalin abuse was first noticed by the Mansa district’s drug de-addiction clinic and outpatient opioid-assisted treatment (OOAT) centre about four years ago, according to Dr Chhavi Bajaj. Drug addicts will consume anything that is offered to them. Although pregabalin affects the body differently from heroin, 8,000 drug addicts are currently registered at Mansa’s 12 OOAT centres, according to Bajaj.
Pregabalin misuse causes users to feel high and ecstatic, according to the paediatrician and well-known anti-drug crusader Dr Harshinder Kaur. However, prolonged misuse weakens the nervous system and results in a number of potentially fatal health issues.
Jitender Aneja, a psychiatrist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Bathinda, revealed that when patients combine Pregabalin with opium or heroin, they are witnessing cases of seizures as well as coma. It is also reported that such a combination can cause deaths. However, no one is currently conducting blood analyses for Pregabalin in drug overdose deaths, thus there are no statistics from India.
An urge to ban Pregabalin has been made to the health ministry
Pregabalin usage has been the subject of frequent news headlines, therefore Kumar and other pharmacies claim they wrote to the state’s health minister, Balbir Singh Sidhu, last month to ask for a nationwide ban on the sale of these capsules.
In response to a question regarding the letter from the Mansa SSP, Sidhu denied of receiving such letter however, he assured to check into it. Since the state is busy with the floods, a discussion about de-addiction facilities will soon be held. They have planned to train addicts to become self-sufficient once they leave these de-addiction facilities by sending out teams of therapists and yoga instructors.
According to Kumar, the Mansa Chemist Association has begun a boycott of medical store proprietors who are allegedly distributing these capsules without a prescription. He asserted that some of Mansa’s 580 licenced medical establishments are allegedly engaged in the unlicensed marketing of these capsules.
The Deputy Commissioner has the authority to prohibit the sale of these capsules because they are not covered by the NDPS Act, according to ADGP (Bathinda Range) SPS Parmar. The government, medical professionals, and pharmaceutical specialists should make the decision regarding the following step as they are not the competent authority. The Central Government’s Drug Act cannot be broken by state party.