Illicit drugs purchased on the internet can be poisons, experts warn.
A case study, published by “U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention”, reports that two men from Oregon (USA) ingested what they believed to be a recreational drug – an amphetamine derivative, 2C-E – purchased via the Internet.
But what they actually ingested was aniline, a highly toxic chemical used in industrial contexts. Despite the product label stating that it was not intended for human consumption, the two men consumed it.
They suffered a severe reaction as the hemoglobin was transformed into methemoglobin (a form that prevents red blood cells from binding to oxygen). As a result, the skin of both individuals became bluish (cyanosis) due to the lack of oxygen in their blood; one of them lost “his senses”. Both were saved after identifying the chemical ingested and its treatment.
This case relaunches the debate about the products and risks of what is sold/purchased online. The authors state that in the case of recreational drugs, the term “research chemicals” is used to sell stimulants, avoiding regulations that prohibit their use.
Bibliography:
Severe Methemoglobinemia and Hemolytic Anemia from Aniline Purchased as 2C-E (4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine), a Recreational Drug, on the Internet — Oregon, 2011. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, February 10, 2012. [Consultado a 2 de Março de 2012].