Bengaluru: Nail polish removers go off shelves

Bengaluru: Ink erasers and nail polish removers in bottled form are all set to go off shop shelves, as they are “sniffed” by street children to get a “high.”

Concerned by their increased abuse by the children and even poor students, the state Food Safety Commissionerate has ordered a ban on their production and sale in stationary shops, where they can have easy access to them .

“We have issued a notification on Thursday banning sale and production of bottled correction fluid and bottled thinners used for erasing ink and in nail polish removers and submitted it to the state government for issue as a gazette notification,” said Dr Shivakumar, joint director (food safety) .

Enforcement officials have been ordered to  conduct  drives at stationery shops to check for sale of  ink erasers or nail polish removers in bottled form. Street children and  poor students are known to sniff these  liquids as  they can be intoxicating, producing a stimulating effect similar to drugs.

“Ink eraser fluids, nail polish removers and paint thinners contain chemicals that can cause an individual to experience euphoria, lightheadedness, and lack of inhibition. They are addictive. This is a form of substance abuse that can have chronic health effects," explained Dr Shivkumar, hoping that the  ban on their sale in stationary shops would curb the numbers of children abusing them.

“Toluene, bromopropane, methyl chloroform and trichloroethylene are the four main ingredients that can have an adverse effect on the nervous system on  long term use.  Which is why we have banned the sale of these chemicals in bottled form,” the officer added.