“Drug peddling has had a very negative impact on our economy both directly and
indirectly,” Mr Yaw Ofosuhene, the Western Regional Secretary of association
said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He said these drug peddlers lacked adequate knowledge on the medicine they sell
and therefore ended up providing wrong doses which gave side-effects leading to
various complications.
Mr Ofusuhene further said these drug peddlers were unable to differentiate
original drugs from counterfeit ones since most of their products were purchased
from unapproved sources.
He said most of the drugs handled by the peddlers were without company names,
registration, location and do not have expiry dates, thereby exposing many
innocent people to danger.
Mr Ofosuhene noted that these drugs have not been certified by the Food and
Drugs Board (FDB) while some were wrongly labelled.
He said that these charlatans most often mention a whole lot of indications uses
for one drug which are usually not true.
Also, he said, the drug peddlers have a profit motive which they placed above
the importance of the health of the consumer.
He said drug peddling is an illegal activity since peddlers do not pay any form
of revenue to either the district assembly or any revenue mobilization agency.
Mr Ofosuhene said the passage of the Food and Drugs Law (PNDC LAW 305B) and the
establishment of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) were aimed to regulate the
manufacture and distribution of drugs in the country.
The Pharmacy Act (Act 489), he said, is also aimed at regulating the practice of
the Pharmacy profession.
Mr Ofusuhene said several attempts made by the FDB and the Pharmacy Council to
fight drug peddling has been unsuccessful.
He called on the public to join the fight against drug peddling so as to reduce
the devastating effect on the Ghanaian consumer.
Mr Ofusuhene said the 1994 Pharmacy Act (Act 489) and the Food and Drug Law (PNDCN
Law 305B), allow a police officer to arrest individuals if they suspect that
they are selling counterfeit drugs, whether in a registered premises or not.
GNA/LQ
