Crackdown 
on illegal sales of ‘diet drug’

The Food Standards Agency said capsules, tablets and powders containing DNP were continuing to be marketed despite risks from the substance which it said was not fit for human consumption.

The chemical was linked last year to the death of Leeds University medical student Sarah Houston, 23.

Agency officials said yesterday that they were issuing an urgent warning to the public not to take anything containing the ingredient which was used by the body-building community and people looking to lose weight, describing it as “extremely dangerous”.

Ms Houston’s parents have launched a campaign urging the Government to take stronger measures over the product after their daughter’s death in Leeds. She had struggled with eating disorders since she was 14 and was secretly taking DNP.

Coroner David Hinchcliff, who recorded a verdict of misadventure at an inquest in April, wrote to Ministers calling for a change in the law over the chemical he blamed for her death.

The agency said it was taking action to crack down on the illegal sale of DNP and to raise awareness of the dangers of its use.

It is working with the police and local authorities to stamp out its sale, focusing on stopping internet sales. It is also reminding traders of criminal sanctions to deal with anyone supplying it.

The agency will be using social media including Twitter and Facebook to warn about its dangers this week.

Signs of acute poisoning from DNP can include nausea, vomiting, restlessness, flushed skin, sweating, dizziness, headaches, rapid respiration and irregular heartbeat. Consuming lower amounts over longer periods can lead to cataracts and skin lesions and affect the heart, blood and nervous system.

Experts say anyone who has taken DNP should seek medical advice immediately.