Prohibition leaves retailers high & dry

AHMEDABAD: If your favourite deodorant spray, after-shave lotion or hair-vitalising concoction is out of stock almost every time you go to the market, don’t be surprised.
While Gujarat’s prohibition law has failed to effectively stop the illegal sale of liquor, it has managed to restrict the entry into the state of medicinal products and toiletries that have alcohol content.
Even products like deodorants and colognes that contain alcohol as a base require the importer to obtain a licence from the state excise and prohibition department, even if nobody in their right frame of mind would ever drink these as an intoxicant.
For these archaic laws, it does not matter that these products cannot be consumed orally. Thus the Keo Karpin hair vitaliser, Dr Reddy’s Mintop, Zydus Cadila’s Gromane and Kopran’s Hairex are perennially out of stock. So are Denim aftershave, Rexona and Axe deo-sprays and even Atkinson’s Eau de Cologne.
The main carrying and forwarding agents of these products say that the shortage is due to the complicated process of obtaining a licence, which prompts many retailers to smuggle in the goods without the import pass.
The retailers and distributors flay the prohibition policy which has incorporated certain rules under the Bombay Medicinal and Toilet Preparation rules 1955. These rules require that import of any medicine, toilet product, antiseptic, flavouring essence or syrup that contains alcohol requires a special permit.
Wahid Ravji of the Adani Supermarket says that they have to make do with the shortage and in some cases non-availability of certain brands. “For example, Keo Karpin hair vitaliser is not available in our stores.
Similarly, several well-known products marketed by Hindustan Lever such as aftershave lotions, deosprays etc are not available or are in short supply,� he says.
KL Shukla of the Planet Health says, “There are many ayurvedic preparations from Delhi that we are unable to procure or sell. They have more than 12 per cent alcohol content. We do not stock good hair vitalisers for the same reason.�
HLL’s agent Paresh Shah says they face a complicated procedure for procuring a licence and an import pass.
“This has led to illegal import of products from across the state,� he says. Those importing these products legally do so only periodically because of the hassles involved.
Prohibition officials say they are just following the rules. Besides, there are two types of alcohol-based products — those fit for consumption and those which are not. “The procedure is not complicated. We inspect the consignment and give them the required permit,� said an official.
The same is the case with homeopathy drug dealers who need import alcohol-based medicines.
Those who deal in the trade methyl alcohol (methanol), which cannot be consumed, say they too are adversely affected by the strict prohibition norms. Mehul Dalal, methanol trader, says, “We have made a representation to the state government that methanol, which comes under the Poisons Act, should not be put under the Prohibition Act too.�
Methanol is used widely as a solvent in industries and needs to traded in large quantities. “This Act is a deterrent to those who want to set up methanol-based industries here,� he says.