A NUMBER OF vendors in Spanish Town are still doing brisk business selling 'sex drugs' on the streets despite the police attempts to stamp out the practice.
The drugs which are being dispensed by the 'street side pharmacists' include 'Bomb', 'Chiney Brush', 'Stone', 'Tiger Bone', 'Spanish Fly' and the morning after pill, Postinor. The morning after pill does not require a prescription but it is usually sold to patients after they have received counselling from a qualified pharmacist.
The police told THE STAR that they raided and arrested vendors earlier this year in an effort to stamp out the practice. But, that has not deterred at least 10 vendors from continuing this illegal act along Burke road as well as other roads leading off the busy Spanish Town street.
In some cases the men and women who sell these products can be heard bellowing "Spanish Fly, Chiney Brush, Stone and Boom. Ginseng an' condom," to passing persons.
Spanish Fly, Chiney Brush and Tiger Bone fetch a price of $600 per dose which is in a small bottle while Stone and Bomb costs $100 per dose. A dose in the case of Bomb is a single tablet about the size of a gungo pea. In the case of Stone it is about the size of a tiny pebble that looks like brown soap.
Business thriving
Business appears to be thriving as, for the duration of the THE STAR's visit, several men and schoolboys could be seen stopping at the makeshift 'pharmacy' to buy all the items.
At one point, a man who seemed to be in his early 60s stopped and purchased a 'Bomb'. When asked by THE STAR why he supported the vendors although he may be at risk because these were prescription only drugs he said it was easier than going to the pharmacy.
"When yuh go pharmacy yuh haffi have prescription or yuh haffi ansa too much question. Out yah so now yuh jus gi a man di money an' yuh criss," he said.
He added that he had no qualms about buying prescription drugs on the streets.
"A pure young girl mi talk to yuh nuh. When people si mi a buy it dem might tink mi have problem but dat a fi dem business because di young girl dem rate mi cause a it," he said.
The vendors said high school students, as well as adults bought the contraband. For the duration of THE STAR's visit at least one schoolboy who was with a schoolgirl was seen purchasing what appeared to be the 'Bomb'. He walked away hastily with the girl as soon as he bought his item.
Successfully prosecuted
According to the police the men they arrested this year were held under the Pharmaceutical Act and were successfully prosecuted. "... I can't say off the top of my head which drugs they were caught with," said Kenneth Wade, Superintendent of Police, Spanish Town.
Supt. Wade said that they did not rule out another series of arrests.
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