Medicines sans prescription - a risky trend

The deaths of 132 cardiac patients in Punjab due to spurious medicines is a tragedy that should not repeat itself ever. In our country, medicines are sold without obtaining an authentic prescription issued by a qualified doctor. Anybody can go to a pharmacist or medical store's salesperson and get any medicine, without showing any prescription.
The trend might prove very dangerous and has the potential to bring up another tragedy. We often read about people attempting or committing suicide with the help of sleeping pills, which are easily available in the market. I myself buy them whenever I face sleeping difficulties. The government should take this issue seriously and strict directives in this regard may be given to medical stores across the country, not to sell any medicines without presenting a qualified doctor's prescription. It is not difficult to ensure. In the developed world, this condition has been established as a social norm and people cannot get any medicine except Panadol without a prescription.