CO129-396 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 487

Introduction (paras 1 to 7) omitted.

COCATHE AND 108 SITUBONG SUSSEFQUES: SUPLARY OF PROVINCIAS

REGULATIONS.

BENGAL,

8. Rules have been issued governing dealings in cocaine, norocain, eucaine, beta eucaine, bela eucaine lactate and holocaine and all preparations and admixtures thereof,

The import of these articles by channels other than that of the post is permitted only by Civil Surgeons in charge of Charitable dispensaries, by specially authorized licensed chemists and druggists, and by recognized custom house clearing agents for the use of dispensaries owned or maintained by Native States, medical missions or similar charitable bodies.

Their export and transport in excess of the quantities fixed for retail sale and private possession can be made only under cover of excise passes by chemists and druggists holding licenses for sale.

SA. Sale without a license is prohibited. Licenses are granted only to chemists and druggists approved by the Collector on payment of a fee of Re. 1 per annum. A licensed vendor may sell to a private person only for bond fide inedicinal purposes, and on the prescription of a qualified medical practitioner. Such prescriptions, however, are not required for the sale of cocaine used in impure solution, in ointments for local application or made nauseous to the taste, or for the sale of certain bond fide medicated articles containing cocaine. The limit of retail sale and private possession has been fixed at 20 grains for cocaine and its compounds, whether dry or in a liquid state, and at one dram for the other drugs. Sale in larger quantities is allowed only to (i) other licensed druggists or chemists, (ii) medical institutions under Government supervision, and (iii) medical institutions not under Government supervision but holding excise permits from the Collector anthorising possession in larger quantities.

SB. Confiscated articles when found unfit for use, are destroyed, and when found fit for use are supplied to the Medical Store.keeper to Government for the use of the Store Depôts.

9. Two hundred and seventy-two (272) licenses for the sale of cocaine and one for the sale of novocain were issued during 1909-10. The seizures amounted to 468 ounces, of which 343 ounces were in their original phials and found pure, the remainder being more or less adulterated.

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