TG SAFE Issues Notices to 158 Telangana Medical Shops Over Habit-Forming Drugs

The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) – Drugs Wing carried out statewide inspections across retail medical shops on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, targeting the unauthorized and illegal sale of habit-forming medications.

During the special enforcement drive, regulatory officers identified non-compliance and discrepancies in 158 medical shops across Telangana. The department subsequently issued show-cause notices to the errant establishments to initiate disciplinary action, which may include the suspension or permanent cancellation of their drug licences.

The statewide operation specifically targeted the illicit sale and diversion of several controlled substances and formulations. These included Tramadol tablets, Pregabalin-containing formulations, Nitrazepam tablets, Alprazolam tablets, Tapentadol tablets, Zolpidem tablets, and Codeine-based cough syrups.

According to TG SAFE officials, several major violations were uncovered during the inspections. Key infractions included the indiscriminate dispensing of habit-forming and scheduled drugs without a valid prescription from a Registered Medical Practitioner.

Inspectors also reported cases where pharmacies sold restricted medicines without issuing cash memos or sales bills, failed to produce required sales records, and neglected to maintain mandatory prescription registers and Schedule H1 drug registers. In multiple instances, prescription drugs were found being dispensed in the absence of a qualified registered pharmacist.

The department highlighted that under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the relevant rules thereunder, all medicines listed under Schedule H, Schedule H1, and Schedule X must strictly be dispensed only against a valid prescription issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner.

TG SAFE reiterated that any unauthorized sale, diversion, or distribution of controlled pharmaceutical products for non-therapeutic or abusive purposes represents a serious legal violation and will continue to attract strict regulatory and legal action.