Need to strengthen Drugs Act in West Bengal
The West Bengal drug control directorate must take necessary action to stop claims of various astrologers and tantriks that they can cure diseases like asthma, cancer, AIDS, epilepsy, sexual impotency, etc
IN THE past couple of years, a number of astrologers were arrested for claiming to cure diseases like-asthma, cancer, AIDS, epilepsy sexual impotency, etc, when any science organisation or a citizen complained against them.
The weapons were The drugs and Magic Remedies (objectionable advertisement) Act-1954. According to this Act, ‘Drugs’ means a medicine for the internal or external use of human beings or animals; any substance intended to be used or in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease in a human being or animal. Advertisement includes any type of notice circular, label, wrapper or other document or any announcement made orally or by any means of producing or transmitting. ‘Magic Remedy’ includes a talisman, mantra, kavacha and any other charm or any kind, which is alleged to process miraculous power.
The main object of this Act is to stop the growing rate of objectionable advertisement published in news papers and magazines. The government observed that the advertisement of astrologers tends to cause the ignorant and unwary to resort to self medication with harmful drugs and appliances. A list of 32 diseases like- blindness, blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, sexual impotency, sterility, etc, are there upon which the Act is based. Violating this Act is a cognizable offence.
The Drug Control Department is more familiar with Drugs and Cosmetics Act-1940. This Act says that for preparing and selling of any types of drug (in case of astrologer, the gems, kavacha, rings is to be considered as drugs if anybody claims these items can cure a human body) should required a drug license from government, failing which the manufacturer and seller would be arrested.
It was in March 2005, when a heavy-weight astrologer Sri Satyananda was arrested by West Bengal Police because he openly threatened Prabir Ghosh, the general secretary of ‘Juktibadi Samiti’ (Science and Rationalists Association of India) in a live television programme. This incident shocked everybody from a general public to political leaders at Assembly. At last, the government came ahead to strengthen the Drugs and Cosmetics Act -1940. State law minister Nishith Ranjan Adhikari, mayor of Kolkata Bikash Ranjan Bhattecharya, advocate Golam Rasul, advocate Dilip Gupta, advocate general Balai Rai and many law experts supported the government decision and lent their helping hand to the issue.
On March 19, 2009, the Drug and Cosmetics Act was revised. The revised Act says that maximum punishment would be jail or a fine of rupees of one million.
The main object of this Act is to stop the growing rate of objectionable advertisement published in news papers and magazines. The government observed that the advertisement of astrologers tends to cause the ignorant and unwary to resort to self medication with harmful drugs and appliances. A list of 32 diseases like- blindness, blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, sexual impotency, sterility, etc, are there upon which the Act is based. Violating this Act is a cognizable offence.
The Drug Control Department is more familiar with Drugs and Cosmetics Act-1940. This Act says that for preparing and selling of any types of drug (in case of astrologer, the gems, kavacha, rings is to be considered as drugs if anybody claims these items can cure a human body) should required a drug license from government, failing which the manufacturer and seller would be arrested.
It was in March 2005, when a heavy-weight astrologer Sri Satyananda was arrested by West Bengal Police because he openly threatened Prabir Ghosh, the general secretary of ‘Juktibadi Samiti’ (Science and Rationalists Association of India) in a live television programme. This incident shocked everybody from a general public to political leaders at Assembly. At last, the government came ahead to strengthen the Drugs and Cosmetics Act -1940. State law minister Nishith Ranjan Adhikari, mayor of Kolkata Bikash Ranjan Bhattecharya, advocate Golam Rasul, advocate Dilip Gupta, advocate general Balai Rai and many law experts supported the government decision and lent their helping hand to the issue.
On March 19, 2009, the Drug and Cosmetics Act was revised. The revised Act says that maximum punishment would be jail or a fine of rupees of one million.
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