~ The law has a kink that has to be addressed --- Ottley.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of VSA Omar Ottley and the Inspectorate told members of parliament on Friday that St. Maarten is working with an old Dutch law that is outdated when it comes to the importation of medicine.
The Members of Parliament committee on health discussed the:-
1) the re-introduction of semi-pharmaceutical products like Vicks, Bengay, alcolado, and others into supermarkets
2) the legalization of CBD products in St Maarten.
During the debate, the minister said the law has a kink and he can only deal with the problems based on the law available to him.
Ashanti Van Heynigen from the Inspectorate explained that the importation of the over-the-counter medication was not registered by any of the known importers on the island. Van Heynigen said that importers would have to first register these over-the-counter medications and then request exemption from the Minister of VSA in order for them to distribute and sell the over-the-counter medication.
Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel raised several concerns about the closing of pharmacies at the end of the day while the only pharmacy that opens until 9 pm is in Maho. Emmanuel said that residents can order the over-counter medication from Amazon and it will be shipped to them.
Another point raised by the Independent Member of Parliament said that erectile dysfunction is a disease yet people are able to purchase sex enhancement medication from the various sex shops on the island.
