timesofindia.com on February 21, 2012 reported that pharmacists and salespersons of medical shops in the state seem to be playing a key role in increasing instances of substance abuse. The issue came to fore when the city police recently arrested a pharmacist K Unnikrishnan of Kottakkunnu, Malappuram, on charges of possessing 4,000 capsules of Nitrazepam and Spasmoproxyvon. Pharmacists have been found to sell large quantities of psychotropic substances that are usually used as medicines for treating psychiatric disorders without prescription to drug peddlers and conduits. The Kerala State Pharmacy Council, which cancelled the licence of Unnikrishnan, has found that in most cases pharmacists who engage in unlawful sale of drugs are those who do not renew their licence annually.

The original article can be found at timesofindia.com.