Illegal Diet Pills Turns Suicidal for Hong Kong Teenager
A teenage girl has been admitted to hospital after taking an illegal diet pills which made her suicidal. A warning has been issued by Hong Kong health officials about the drugs, named ‘Show Party.’
The 17-year old girl bought the slimming pills on the internet to encourage rapid weight loss but after she started taking them she began to experience paranoia, hallucinations and suicidal thoughts. In a statement, the Department of Health said she was admitted to the United Christian Hospital after she began harming herself.
Officials seized the diet pills and conducted tests, which showed that they contained a banned ingredient called phenolphthalein. Previously this medication was used to treat constipation but was banned, as it is believed to cause cancer.
The pills also contained the drug sibutramine, which is a medication used to treat obesity. It is only available legally with a doctor’s prescription for those on a serious weight loss program, as when misused or mis-prescribed it can cause dangerous side effects, including high blood pressure and convulsions. Sibutramine is the ingredient in the legal slimming pills Reductil, which reduces appetite.
Neither of the ingredients were declared on the packaging of the pills.
The girl is believed to have bought the illegal diet pills over the internet, highlighting the growing problem of illegal sales of medication on the web. Criminal gangs have been selling diet pills like Reductil and Xenical without a doctor’s prescription, putting the health of consumers at risk. Often they claim that the pills will encourage rapid weight loss, when in fact they are meant for dieters on a long-term weight loss program.
The illegal medication is usually counterfeit, manufactured in factories in South-East Asia and then smuggled into different countries.
The heath authorities have announced that the mental state of the girl being treated remains unstable. They have called for any patients using the slimming pills to stop immediately and contact their doctors if they feel unwell.
If the suppliers of the medication are discovered, they could face a maximum fine of $100,00 and two years imprisonment under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
A spokesperson said, “Weight control should be achieved through good diet and appropriate exercise. They should consult health care professionals before using any medication for weight control.”
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