Sneha Mordani Ground Report: Can New Rules Stop Misuse Of High-Alcohol Medicines?

India Today’s Sneha Mordani brings this ground report on the government’s tighter rules for oral medicines containing more than 12 percent ethyl alcohol in bottles larger than 30 millilitres. These formulations have been moved under Schedule H1, meaning chemists can sell them only with a doctor’s prescription and must maintain sales records. The report examines whether alcohol-based medicines are still being sold without prescriptions, gaps in product labelling and concerns over misuse in states battling addiction. Through visits to chemist shops, expert voices and on-ground checks, Sneha investigates whether the new rules are being implemented effectively across the market today.