The UK Home Office department is closely monitoring the sale of 2.4 Dinitrophenol, also known as DNP, which is a hazardous substance and sometimes referred to as a “slimming pill.” The government has placed the “fat burner” medication on a list of poisons after it was found to be responsible for at least 33 fatalities, according to the Independent.
The DNP medication is slated to be regulated under the Poisons Act of 1972
The DNP medication is slated to be regulated under the Poisons Act of 1972, notwithstanding the protests of the families of those who have lost their lives after taking the medication. This implies that no one will be able to obtain DNP without a license from a licensed pharmacist.
Despite the fact that the medication is already prohibited for use in humans, it is nevertheless being sold on numerous internet platforms under the guise of being a weight-loss assistance. The father of Bethany Shipsey, a 21-year-old who passed away in 2017 after taking tablets containing DNP, is grateful for the renewed crackdown on the drug.
Shipsey’s parents will meet with UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat to discuss how to hasten the outright prohibition of the contentious drug. There have been a lot of agonizing tales like Shipsey’s. One such incident included a student named Eloise Parry, who tragically perished after ingesting eight diet pills containing DNP.
“We are concerned that this pill is still in circulation and want to see a firm commitment to prosecuting those who make profits from it”
In a 2020 trial in the case of her death, Prosecutor Richard Barraclough said, “If you take it, you might live, or you might die.” President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Claire Anderson, said, “Including DNP in the Poisons Act is a positive move as it will restrict its availability, but what’s really needed is an outright ban to reduce the risk to the public.”
“We are concerned that DNP is still in circulation and want to see a firm commitment to prosecuting those who make profits from it. We also call on social media companies to remove content promoting or selling DNP to further reduce harm.”
Meanwhile, UK security minister Tom Tugendhat said, “Around the UK, businesses and individuals use various chemicals for a wide range of legitimate uses. However, we must also minimize the risk posed by the illicit use of bomb-making materials and poisons.” “It is our responsibility to ensure our robust controls of these substances are updated and [there are] controls in place against those who wish to abuse them. These steps will do just that.”
