Sangrur, April 23: Though the government has made dope test mandatory for applicants seeking arms license, residents say that it is ironical that the authorities have not included alcohol in the list substances applicant needs to be screened for.
As per the new guidelines issued by the principal secretary to Punjab government’s health and family welfare department, the number of drugs that would be screened has been increased to 10, as compared to the five drugs of the previous list.
As drug menace was a major issue taken up during the state assembly polls, after the formation of Congress government, the chief minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh-led government made dope test mandatory, to ensure the safety of residents.
As per the new directions, the dope test would be conducted by the health department authorities for a fee of Rs 1,500. The screening will be done for morphine, codeine, D propoxyphene, benzodiazepines, 9-tetea hydro cannabinol (THC), barbiturates, cocaine, amphetamines, buprenorphine and tramadol.
“In many cases, alcohol damages a person’s consciousness and leads to anti-social activities. If government wants to ensure safety and security of its people, alcohol should be included in the dope test screening substances’ list,” said Dr Payre Lal Garg, former registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences in Fridkot.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
