Dodgy diet drugs are being sold on TikTok to beat the Christmas bulge

30 December 2023 , 20:43

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Victims warn of terrifying side effects from illegal chemical (Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Shameless online sellers are hawking potentially dangerous pills to dieters desperate to shift the Christmas pounds.

Some contain banned drug phentermine hydrochloride, linked to high blood pressure and heart disorders. And because they are unregulated, the capsules could include other dodgy chemicals. But cowboys are pushing them hard on social media with special offers and time-limited deals, typically charging between £60 and £80 for a month’s supply.

They target young girls on TikTok and use pink, sparkly packaging and images that promise a perfect figure without hitting the gym. Our reporter ordered pills from two sellers on TikTok and Instagram – @slimsation_uk and @pinkies_ltd – and they came by next-day delivery with no questions asked. Sammy Jo, who runs @slimsation_uk, plugs the drug at double the recommended dose.

Clips on her TikTok and Instagram claim: “Instant weight loss with no workouts, no dieting and no special requirements involved.”

Emily Katherine

Bridget Smith

Approached by our reporter about side-effects, she said: “No, none – just a dry mouth.” The person behind @pinkies_ltd boasts: “How I lost 6.5 stone in 2023 and you can in 2024.” Last night, victims and medical experts urged ­slimmers to steer clear. One dieter said she felt on the brink of death minutes after swallowing tablets from an Instagram seller.

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Emily Katherine, 28, a customer relations worker from Kent, said: “I felt light-headed, as if I was going to pass out. My arms and legs were shaking. I felt out of control. Even the radio started to sound funny. It was like I couldn’t sit still. They’re so easy to get hold of and so cheap. Social media firms must be punished.”

James Davies, of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, warned that buyers are “potentially dicing with death”. He added: “No legitimate source would supply phentermine hydrochloride for weight loss because it is not licensed in the UK. We would like to see social media companies clean up their act.”

Phentermine hydrochloride suppresses the appetite but a safety review by the European Commission found the risks outweighed the benefits – and UK authorities banned it. Medics say a shortage of legitimate weight loss treatments like Ozempic has led to the craze. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has urged people to report dodgy sellers “so that we can investigate and take any necessary action”.

Sammy Jo read our request for comment but failed to reply. The seller behind @pinkies_ltd said: “We do not accept you to use our content.” We approached TikTok and Instagram’s owner, Meta.

“Someone is going to die"

Bridget Smith, 47, feared for her life after taking tablets containing phentermine hydrochloride she bought on Facebook. The mum of four, from Surrey, left, said: “Within an hour my heart started beating really, really fast and my body felt like it was on fire – I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Someone is going to die."

Saskia Rowlands