Drug policy of India

The major drug laws of India are the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1985) and the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1985).

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Bill, 1985 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 23 August 1985. It was passed by both the Houses of Parliament and it was assented by the President on 16 September 1985. It came into force on 14 November 1985 as THE NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985 (shortened to NDPS Act). Under the NDPS Act, it is illegal for a person to produce/manufacture/cultivate, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store, and/or consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.

Under one of the provisions of the act, the Narcotics Control Bureau was set up with effect from March 1986. The Act is designed to fulfill India's treaty obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. The Act has been amended three times - in 1988, 2001, and most recently in 2014. The Act extends to the whole of India and it applies also to all Indian citizens outside India and to all persons on ships and aircraft registered in India.

Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act

The Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act is a drug control law passed in 1988 by the Parliament of India. It was established to enable the full implementation and enforcement of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985.

Narcotics Control Bureau

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is the chief law enforcement and intelligence agency of India responsible for fighting drug trafficking and the abuse of illegal substances.^[1][2] It was created on 17 March 1986 to enable the full implementation of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1985) and fight its violation through the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1988).^[2]

Controlled Substances

The following list mentions the names of all substances banned or controlled in India under the NDPS Act. The list uses the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) of the drugs but in some cases mentions drugs by their chemical name. Widely known drugs such as ganja, cocaine, heroin etc. are mentioned by those names.

Cultivation/production/manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transport, storage, consumption or distribution of any of the following substances, except for medical and scientific purposes and as per the rules or orders and conditions of licences that may be issued, is illegal.^[3]

1. Acetorphine
2. Acetyl-alpha-methylfentanyl
3. Acetyldihydrocodeine
4. Acetylmethadol
5. Alfentanil
6. Allobarbital
7. Allylprodine
8. Alpha-Methyl-4-methylthiophenethylamine
9. Alphacetylmethadol
10. Alphameprodine
11. Alphamethadol
12. Alpha-methylfentanyl
13. Alpha-methylthiofentanyl
14. Alphaprodine
15. Alprazolam
16. Amfepramone
17. Aminorex
18. Amobarbital
19. Anileridine
20. Benzethidine
21. Benzyl morphine
22. Betacetylmethadol
23. Beta-hydroxyfentanyl
24. Beta-hydroxy-3-methylfentanyl
25. Betameprodine
26. Betamethadol
27. Betaprodine
28. Bezitramide
29. Cannabis and cannabis resin (includes Hashish and Charas)
30. Clonitazene
31. Coca derivatives
32. Coca leaf
33. Cocaine
34. Codeine
35. Codoxime
36. Concentrate of poppy straw
37. Desomorphine
38. Dextromoramide
39. Dextropropoxyphene
40. Diampromide
41. Diethylthiambutene
42. Difenoxin
43. Dihydrocodeine
44. Dihydromorphine
45. Dihydroxydihydromorphinone
46. Dimenoxadol
47. Dimepheptanol
48. Dimethylthiambutene
49. Dioxaphetyl butyrate
50. Diphenoxylate
51. Dipipanone
52. Drotebanol
53. Ecgonine
54. Ethylmethylthiambutene
55. Ethylmorphine
56. Etonitazene
57. Etorphine
58. Etoxeridine
59. Fentanyl
60. Furethidine
61. Ganja
62. Heroin
63. Hydrocodone
64. Hydromorphinol
65. Hydromorphone
66. Hydroxypethidine
67. Isomethadone
68. Ketobemidone
69. Levomethorphan
70. Levomoramide
71. Levophenacylmorphan
72. Levorphanol
73. Metazocine
74. Methadone
75. Methadone intermediate
76. Methyldihydromorphine
77. Methyldihydromorphine
78. 3-Methylfentanyl
79. 3-Methylthiofentanyl
80. Metopon
81. Moramide intermediate
82. Morpheridine
83. Morphine
84. Morphine methobromide
85. Morphine-N-oxide
86. MPPP
87. Myrophine
88. N-cyclopropyl methyl-7,8-dihydro-7-(1-hydroxy-1 methyl-ethyl) O-methyl-6,14-endoethanonormorphine
89. Nicocodine
90. Nicodicodine
91. Nicomorphine
92. Noracymethadol
93. Norcodeine
94. Norlevorphanol
95. Normethadone
96. Normorphine
97. Norpipanone
98. Opium
99. Opium derivatives
100. Oxycodone
101. Oxymorphone
102. Para-fluorofentanyl
103. PEPAP
104. Pethidine
105. Pethidine intermediate A
106. Pethidine intermediate B
107. Pethidine intermediate C
108. Phenadoxone
109. Phenampromide
110. Phenazocine
111. Phenomorphan
112. Phenoperidine
113. Pholcodine
114. Piminodine
115. Piritramide
116. Poppy straw
117. Preparations made from the extract or tincture of Indian hemp
118. Proheptazine
119. Properidine
120. Propiram
121. Racemethorphan
122. Racemoramide
123. Racemorphan
124. Sufentanil
125. Thebacon
126. Thebaine
127. Thiofentanyl
128. Tilidine
129. Trimeperidine
130. Brolamfetamine
131. Cathinone
132. 3-[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]indole (N,N-Diethyltryptamine)
133. (+)-2,5-dimethoxy-alpha-methylphenethylamine
134. 3-(1,2-dimethylheptyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-6H-dibenzo(b,d)pyran-1-ol
135. 3-[2-(dimethylamino) ethyl] indole (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine)
136. (+)-4-ethyl-1,5-dimethoxy-alpha-phenethylamine
137. Eticyclidine
138. Etryptamine
139. (+)-Lysergide
140. (+)-N,alpha-dimethyl-3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenethylamine
141. 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine
142. Methcathinone
143. (+)-cis-2-amino-4-methyl-5-phenyl-2-oxazoline
144. 2-methoxy-alpha-methyl-4,5-phenethylamine
145. (±)-N-ethyl-alpha-methyl-3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenethylamine
146. (±)-N-(alpha-methyl-3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenethyl) hydroxylamine
147. 3-hexy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-6H-dibenzo(b,d)pyran-1-ol
148. p-methoxy-alpha-methylphenethylamine
149. 3-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)indol-4-ol
150. Psilocybine
151. Rolicyclidine
152. 2,5-dimethoxy-alpha,4-dimethylphenethylamine
153. Tenamfetamine
154. Tenocyclidine
155. (+)-3,4,5-trimethoxy-alpha-methyphenethylamine
156. 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphen Dexamfetamine
157. Fenetylline
158. Levamfetamine
159. (x)-N,alpha-dimethylphenethylamine
160. Mecloqualone
161. Metamfetamine
162. Metamfetamine (racemate)
163. Methaqualone
164. Methylphenidate
165. Phencyclidine
166. Phenmetrazine
167. Secobarbital
168. Dronabinol
169. Zipeprol
170. Buprenorphine
171. Butalbital
172. Cathine
173. Cyclobarbital
174. Flunitrazepam
175. Glutethimide
176. Pentazocine
177. Pentobarbital
178. Benzfetamine
179. Bromazepam
180. 5-butyl-5ric acid
181. Brotizolam
182. Camazepam
183. Chlordiazepoxide
184. Clobazam
185. Clonazepam
186. Clorazepate
187. Clotiazepam
188. Cloxazolam
189. Delorazepam
190. Diazepam
191. Estazolam
192. Ethchlorvynol
193. Ethinamate
194. Ethylloflazepate
195. Etilamfetamine
196. Fencamfamin
197. Fenproporex
198. Fludiazepam
199. Flurazepam
200. gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid
201. Halazepam
202. Haloxazolam
203. Ketazolam
204. Lefetamine
205. Loprazolam
206. Lorazepam
207. Lormetazepam
208. Mazindol
209. Medazepam
210. Mefenorex
211. Meprobamate
212. Mesocarb
213. Methylphenobarbital
214. Methyprylon
215. Midazolam
216. Nimetazepam
217. Nitrazepam
218. Nordazepam
219. Oxazepam
220. Oxazolam
221. Pemoline
222. Phendimetrazine
223. Phenobarbital
224. Phentermine
225. Pinazepam
226. Pipradrol
227. Prazepam
228. Pyrovalerone
229. Secbutabarbital
230. Temazepam
231. Tetrazepam
232. Triazolam
233. Vinylbital
234. Zolpidem
235. Any mixture or preparation that of with or without a neutral material, of any of the above drugs.
236. The following isomers and their sterochemical variants:
     

• 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol (9R,10aR)-8,9,10,10a-trtrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyan-1-ol
• (6aR,9R,10aR)-6a,9,10,10-a- tetrahydro-6,6,9-tremthyl-3-penthyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
• (6aR,10aR)-6a,7,10,10a- tetrahydro-6,6,9-tremthyl-3-penthyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
• 6a,7,8,9-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6h-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
• (6aR,10aR)-6a,7,8,9,10,10a-hexahydro-6, 6-dimethyl-9-methylene 3-pentyl-6H-dibenxo[b,d]pyran-1-ol

Source: Narcotics Control Bureau

Punishment

Anyone who contravenes the NDPS Act will face punishment based on the quantity of the banned substance.

• where the contravention involves small quantity(<1 kg), with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to 6 months, or with fine which may extend to ₹10,000 or with both;
• where the contravention involves quantity lesser than commercial quantity but greater than small quantity, with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and with fine which may extend to ₹1 lakh;
• where the contravention involves commercial quantity, with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 10 years but which may extend to 20 years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than ₹1 lakh but which may extend to ₹2 lakh.

See also

• Legal opium production in India

References

1. "Narcotics Control Bureau". National Informatics Center. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
2. "Narcotics Control Bureau - Ministry of Finance" (PDF). National Informatics Center. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
3. http://www.antidrugs.gov.il/download/files/indian_drug-laws.pdf

External links

• Homepage of Narcotics Control Bureau
• Homepage of Central Bureau of Narcotics