India is fast becoming a haven for designer drugs, says a report released on Wednesday by Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)

“India is one of the main sources of psychotropic substances sold through illegal internet pharmacies,” says the INCB annual report 2010. However, the report titled ‘Designer Drugs are Escalating out of Control’ did not mention data on how many addicts are using such drugs in India.

The study mentioned, “Pseudoephedrine from India is also formed into tablets in Bangladesh before being sent to Central America and the Caribbean.”

South Asian countries have now become mines used by drug cartels for chemicals that go into making the designer drugs. “South Asia has become one of the main regions used by drug traffickers to obtain the chemicals needed for the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine, namely ephedrine and pseudoephedrine,” said the report.

“Indian law enforcement agencies seized 1.2 tonnes of ephedrine in 2009,” report noted. In fact, last year, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that there is a growing number of people who have been abusing prescription drugs, such as synthetic opioids, benzodiazepines or synthetic prescription stimulants.

According to the report, “Cannabis is cultivated on a large scale throughout South Asia.”

Drug traffickers are taking help of modern facilities by modifying the product into designer drugs just to bypass existing state controls. Internet has become a major source of data and instructions for the manufacture of designer drugs, according to the study. It also noted that most of designer drugs like 4-methyl-methcathinone, known as “mephedrone”, are available in the retail outlets known as “smart shops”.

“These drugs are often produced by modifying the molecular structure of illegal substances, resulting in a new product with similar effects – which then circumvents control measures,” said the report which specified how the drugs are made.  

The INCB stated that designer drugs pose great health risk. “Given the health risks posed by the abuse of designer drugs, we urge Governments to adopt national control measures to prevent the manufacture, trafficking in and abuse of these substances,” says Hamid Ghodse, president of the board.

INCB reminded governments of the need to remain vigilant in identifying and addressing new trends in designer drugs. The INCB is the independent and quasi-judicial control organ monitoring the implementation of the United Nations drug control conventions.

Read the report