Pharmacy in Nalchik could be blown up because of selling narcotic substances, local residents suggest

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent from the scene of events, the drugstore, located in Nalchik near the Central Marketplace, which was blown up, is now guarded by the police; it is closed; and all the drugs were taken away.

The explosion at the entrance to the pharmacy in central Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) was triggered in the evening on February 26. According to the local Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), no one was hurt.

The marketplace traders told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the pharmacy could be blown up because of selling narcotic-containing drugs to young people.

Earlier, the public of the KBR has repeatedly raised the issue of using strong medicines, sold by some pharmacies in Nalchik, for non-medical purposes. In particular, Nikolai Solovyov, the deputy head of the Department for the KBR of the Federal Drug Control Service of the Russian Federation (known as the FSKN), expressed his regret that there are no legitimate reasons to ban the sale of strong medicines.

Abuzeid Geriev, the leader of the NGO "Bars-El", believes that if there are no legal mechanisms to combat trafficking in medicines for non-medical purposes, the civil society should enter the fight.

In their turn, Khizir Otarov and Arsen Gedgafov, representatives of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of the KBR, have suggested to launch, through joint efforts, a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts.