Regulating the manufacture / trade of correction fluid / thinner liquid, which are chemical substances generally used in offices, and other similar chemical substances

A Notification has been published by the Ministry of  Health & Family Welfare, Government of India in the Gazette of India Extraordinary, Part l, Section 1, No. 163 dated 17.7.2012 on the directions of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh in CWP No.1332 of 2010 – Vyakti Vikas Kender Vs. Union of India and others for regulating the manufacture/trade of correction fluid/thinner liquid, which are chemical substances generally used in offices, and other similar chemical substances. These have been reported to being widely misused by children/street children as intoxicating substance/drug by inhaling them to get stimulating effects like drugs. All State/Union Territory Governments and various Central Ministries/Departments have been requested to take immediate necessary action for enforcement of the measures contained in the said notification, by sensitizing the industries producing them and the traders/shop distributing/selling them. The measures mentioned in the said notification to be enforced include:

(i)                 Banning of production of bottled Correction Fluids as well as bottled Thinners, of  any chemical composition, both for ink erasing purposes as well as for use as Nail Polish removers and similar other purposes for retail sale.

(ii)               Banning of sale of; bottled Correction Fluids as well as bottled Thinners, of any chemical composition, both for ink erasing purposes as well as for use as Nail Polish removers and similar other purposes.

(iii)             Permitting sale of Correction Fluids as well as Thinners, of any chemical composition, both for ink erasing purposes as well as for use as Nail Polish removers and similar other purposes in the form of pens or similar devices which allow limited amount of the chemicals to come out of those devices when used.

(iv)             Mandatory warning should be made on the application devices (pens or otherwise) of correcting fluids/thinners regarding the effects on health on inhalation of vapor/consumption of the chemicals contained therein.

 Ministry of  Health & Family Welfare

New Delhi, September 19, 2012  Bhadrapada 28, 1933

Source : PIB