A drawer control means for controlling access to restricted stored items located in compartments in drawers positioned within a cabinet housing a multiplicity of drawers, said drawers being arranged in columns, whereby the drawers in any column can be controlled such that access to a selected drawer and access to a specified compartment within that drawer is effected by only two locking mechanisms per drawer column, and such that the withdrawal distance of a drawer from the cabinet is pre-set prior to the drawer being opened.