Due to an exorbitant price of drugs, the drug addicts in Rajshahi were using some alternative, low-cost, available drugs to quench their addiction. According to sources, drug addicts were using Cinta tablets and Pentadol, Pentad or Pentode and Cilostozol tablets as the alternative for the Yaba, a costly drug for the addicts.
Some drug addicts informed, instead of Yaba or heroin they were using the low cost Cinta and Pentadol tablets. They further said, if they take the Cinta tablet, they do not need to take the Yaba. It is learnt, though the regular retail price of a piece of 50 mg Cinta tablet is Taka 10, a 70 mg of the same is Taka 15 and a 100 mg tablet is Taka 20, some dishonest drug traders were selling those at Taka 30 for a 50 mg tablet, Taka 50 for a 70 mg tablet and Taka 70 to 80 for a 100 mg tablet.
Moreover, some more available tablets in the pharmacies like Lopenta and Tiptin are also being sold at an exorbitant price as drugs for the addicts. Most of school and college students facing fund crisis were making the drug by mixing Lopenta and Tiptin with Cinta and Pentadol to make a drug like Yaba or Heroin. As a result of the wide use of those drugs at a low cost, youngsters and the students of the city and the rural areas were being destroyed.
Not only in Rajshahi but also in neighboring districts of Naogaon, Natore, Chapainawabganj, Bogura and Joypurhat districts, those drugs were spreading alarmingly among the students and the young men. Swapon( 52), a resident of Binodepur area of the city informed, the prices of all sort of drugs including Phensedyl, Yaba and Heroin have been increased abnormally.
He said, a bottle of Phensedyl was available at Taka 700 to 800 some six months ago but now that sells at Taka 1,200 to 1,400 while a Yaba tablet was available for Taka 200 but that is not available now below 300 per piece. The price of heroin has also been increased abnormally, he further added.
Dr. Arif Ashab Rifat, Medical Officer of Dhunat Health Complex informed, Cinta and Pentazol are anti-depressant and anti-dozing drugs. He further said, he has heard the drugs are being used by a section of drug addicts in the country. Meanwhile, authorities of Superintendent of Drugs in Rajshahi informed, they were unaware of incident of using the drugs Pentadol and Cinta as a means of addiction. The authorities, however, said to take necessary measure in this connection.