**Rising Cough Syrup Abuse Among Youth Raises Alarms in Bhopal**
*Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh):* The recent tragedy in Chhindwara, where 16 children lost their lives after consuming contaminated cough syrup, has highlighted serious concerns regarding the safety of such medicines. However, alongside these safety issues, another alarming trend is emerging—the abuse of cough syrup as an intoxicant among the youth.
Doctors have issued stern warnings that excessive and prolonged consumption of cough syrup can cause severe kidney and liver damage. Despite these dangers, many young people continue to use the syrup as a cheaper alternative to alcohol.
Easily available at most medical stores without a doctor’s prescription, cough syrup is becoming a source of addiction, particularly among students and unemployed youth. A medical store owner, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that a significant number of his regular buyers are young men who purchase the syrup for intoxication purposes. However, he added that most of these buyers are from outside Bhopal, commonly students or laborers using the syrup regularly as a form of addiction.
In addition to local consumption, Bhopal has increasingly become a major supply hub for cough syrup across the state. Police records from the past few years indicate that many cough syrups—often containing codeine phosphate or other narcotic components—are supplied from Bhopal to districts such as Maihar, Rewa, Satna, and Chhindwara, where addiction rates are rising rapidly.
Several major crackdowns have uncovered this illegal trade. In February 2025, Indore police raided a warehouse near Hanumanganj police station and seized 5,240 bottles of cough syrup and narcotic tablets worth nearly Rs 1 crore. Three accused were arrested and confessed that the consignment originated from Bhopal.
Similarly, in February 2024, Bhopal’s Crime Branch busted a major racket in Shahjahanabad by recovering 127 cartons of syrup valued at Rs 25 lakh from a house converted into a godown. The main accused, Ankit Bang, allegedly supplied the syrup across multiple Madhya Pradesh districts, including Maihar and neighboring areas.
In June 2022, Rewa police seized 3,040 bottles of cough syrup and arrested three individuals. One of the arrested persons was from Bhopal, once again pointing to the capital city as the primary supply base.
Dr. Meet Dwivedi cautioned that prolonged use of cough syrups could result in long-term damage to vital organs, leading to irreversible health complications. He emphasized that cough syrups and other medicines should only be consumed when prescribed by a qualified doctor.
The increasing misuse of cough syrup calls for urgent awareness and stricter regulation to prevent further health hazards among youth.
*—Story by Staff Reporter*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/mp-news-cheaper-than-alcohol-cough-syrup-new-addition-for-youth-bhopal-emerging-as-supply-base