Rs 20 Crore Medicines Seized, 520 Chemist Licences Suspended: Punjab's Anti-Drug Crackdown

The Bhagwant Mann government has intensified its crackdown on violations of drug laws, with the Drugs Wing of the Food and Drugs Administration conducting 16,788 inspections between April 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.

During this period, medicines worth Rs 20.64 crore were seized from 214 licensed and unlicensed firms, while the licences of 520 chemists were suspended and those of 22 chemists cancelled for violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drugs Rules, 1945.

According to an official statement on Thursday, as directed by Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh, regular inspections are being carried out to strengthen enforcement and curb the misuse of medicines.

During the period under review, 54 court cases were instituted against defaulters, while 35 cases resulted in convictions along with fines. Across the state, 650 cases are currently under trial in various district courts.

"In a significant step towards curbing the misuse of habit-forming medicines, the Government of India has included Pregabalin under Schedule H1 of the Drugs Rules, 1945, through notification G.S.R. 377(E), dated May 13, 2026. The provision will come into force on November 12, 2026," the statement said.

Pregabalin was not previously covered under any Schedule of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, or the Drugs Rules, 1945. The Punjab government had repeatedly taken up the matter with the Government of India through various communications, seeking regulatory intervention to control its misuse, the statement said.

The Punjab government has also raised concerns with the Union health minister over the absence of rules regulating the online sale of medicines through e-pharmacies. According to the state government, medicines that can be misused for intoxication remain available online, undermining efforts to curb the misuse of habit-forming medicines.

The Punjab government has restricted the stocking for sale of eight types of drug formulations in the state. However, the absence of a regulatory framework for online medicine sales continues to pose a challenge to effective enforcement.

The Bhagwant Mann government has also taken up the issue of "exorbitant medicine prices and variations in the prices of products manufactured by different companies despite containing the same active pharmaceutical ingredient or salt".

The state government said that no effective steps had been taken by the Centre on this issue until the recent intervention and directions of the Supreme Court, the statement said.

The Punjab government reiterated its commitment to taking proactive measures in the public interest to address issues related to public health and strengthen the enforcement of drug laws across the state. 

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