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Τρίτη 5 Μαΐου 2015

Diet pill' warning: I felt like I was on fire


Eloise Aimee Parry
Image caption Eloise Aimee Parry died in hospital on 12 April

Diet pill' warning: I felt like I was on fire

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19 hours ago

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Global police forces are working together to try to prevent the supply of so-called "diet pills" which can be deadly.
In April 21-year-old Eloise Aimee Parry, from Shrewsbury, died in hospital on 12 April after becoming unwell after she took a substance she had bought on the internet.
An inquest found that she had consumed four times the fatal amount of Dinitrophenol, known as DNP, which is a toxic pesticide.

The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has now raised an alert with forces in 190 countries.
They declared an "imminent threat" to consumers of DNP, which has also been used in explosives.
One Newsbeat listener who has taken DNP in the past shared some of their experiences.

'I felt like I was on fire'

Gill from Northern Ireland told us that she "thought she was going to die".
"You start to feel a bit of energy off them, but when you expect the energy to wear off it doesn't and that is when my body started to overheat, she explained.
"I felt like I was on fire, I felt like I was boiling in my skin.
"It was just terrible. My heart was beating so fast. It was the worst feeling ever."
Image caption 2,4-dinitrophenol or DNP is highly toxic and is not intended for human consumption
Interpol said that some online distributors have tried to mask its supply from customs and police officers by labelling it as the yellow spice, turmeric.
Police said there were "intrinsic dangers of DNP" and the risks are magnified because it is made in illegal manufacturing conditions.
A study last year warned the drug, sometimes used as a weight-loss or bodybuilding aid, could be linked to five more deaths in the UK between 2007 and 2013.
It also warned that it could cause breathing difficulties, fast heart rates, fever, nausea and vomiting.

'It's out there and it's dangerous'

Eloise Aimee Parry's Mum, Fiona, has spoken to Newsbeat to tell us she's welcoming the announcement by Interpol.
"There's always more that you can do but I'm delighted that they're taking it this seriously, I think that's to be commended... They're following through on this awareness, which is all I really could have hoped to get out of it."
The weeks since Eloise died have been incredibly difficult, but Fiona said she's been busy trying to raise awareness among people who might be tempted to take DNP.
"I feel upset that it's out there, I just want to reach out and try and protect people, but there's only so much you can do."
She would like the message about how dangerous the drug is to reach more people.
"It would be lovely for the police to be able to bring these people to account but that's extremely difficult, so I think I have to personally focus on trying to tell people about it... to say to people look it's out there and it's dangerous, don't take a risk with your life."
Fiona Parry
Image caption Fiona Parry told Newsbeat she's been busy since Eloise died: "the moments when you stop that's when it hits you, and I shall just take time to come to terms with this"
It's illegal to sell DNP for human consumption and Fiona thinks the law as it stands doesn't need to be changed.
"It's a useful substance for other things, and therefore I wouldn't want to see it disappear personally, but in terms of using it as a pharmaceutical, using it for human consumption, that's inappropriate."
She wouldn't want it to become illegal to possess DNP either, "because then people who have bought it are going to hide the fact, and that makes people harder to help... they are the victims in this."
Fiona told Newsbeat that speaking out has helped her cope with her grief.
"That does help in terms of dealing with a tragedy, if you can turn it round and think 'Well I've tried to make something good come out of it'."
And she has a very clear message.
"If you're considering taking this stuff, please don't."
An Interpol spokesman told Newsbeat: "Many people may be tempted to buy these drugs as a 'quick fix' for dieting or body building without realizing the very real danger they are putting themselves in.
"These drugs are being produced in clandestine laboratories with no hygiene regulations, without specialist manufacturing knowledge so the producers are also exposing consumers to an increased chance of overdose.
"So even if someone takes what they believe is a recommended amount, they have no way of checking what the active ingredient content of the drug actually is, so are increasing the risk of overdose even further."

ANAΔΗΜΟΣΙΕΥΣΗ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΒΒC HEALTH NEWS 6/5/2015

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