What actually goes into the making of illicit or spurious toddy? Psychiatrists from Hyderabad point out that a number of toxic chemicals are used to make spurious toddy, which have far reaching consequences on addicts. Basically, they maintain that illicit toddy contains water, saccharine, detergent for froth, sedatives and hypnotic drugs like chloral hydrate, lead and benzoic acid. “They contain diazepam or similar kind of sedative drugs like chloral hydrate. Once people are addicted, it is hard to give up. When toddy sale is stopped, addicts start having withdrawal symptoms after two to three days. Sedatives and hypnotic drugs should only be sold through prescription, but somehow the toddy makers have access to such drugs,” says Vice-President, Hyderabad Psychiatric Society (HPS), S.R.R.Y. Srinivas.

Typically, for every one litre of toddy, anywhere between 30 and 50 milligrams of sedative drugs are added.

Generally, sedative drugs like diazepam and others are prescribed to persons having anxiety, depression and sleep-related disorder issues. For such patients, the normal course to take such a drug is 5 mg per day for a month or two. “Illicit toddy contains high doses of sedatives, which is dangerous,” doctors said.

For every one litre of toddy, between 30 and 50 milligrams of sedative drugs are added

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Printable version | Jul 22, 2022 9:08:49 am | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/spurious-toddy-contains-toxic-chemicals/article7693895.ece