Warning: Online beauty drinks may be laced with ecstasy, ketamine, meth
Two senior doctors warned the public on Thursday that many unlicensed brands of the beauty supplement collagen – as well as instant coffee – sold on social media contain illegal party drugs and could be fatal if consumed in large amounts.
The warnings about the liquid-collagen and instant-coffee brands – which have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration – were made by Doctor Manus Phothaporn, deputy director-general of the Medical Services Department, and Doctor Sarayut Boonchaipanitwatana, director of the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment.
Manus said his department had tested collagen drinks and instant coffee sold on social media and found that most of the unlicensed brands were laced with ecstasy, crystal meth and ketamine as well as nimetazepam (a chemical used in sleeping pills).
Caffeine was also found in most of the unlicensed collagen drinks.
Sellers often tell buyers the collagen drinks reduce weight and make their skin look youthful, Sarayut said.
Ecstasy and ketamine can cause hallucinations, while crystal meth causes energy rushes and hypervigilance. People who unknowingly consume all three at the same time can experience extreme physical and mental distress, Manus said.
Sarayut said that if consumers drink alcohol after unwittingly consuming ecstasy, ketamine, and crystal meth their central nervous system may become suppressed. They could experience mental disorders, paranoia, and aggressiveness, he said.
In some cases, they could die of heart or respiratory-system failure, Sarayut said.
Both doctors said it was very difficult to monitor unlicensed drinks sold on social media.
