PSN raises alarm over abuse of blood tonic as intoxicant

The Kwara State Chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria on Thursday warned youths against use of blood tonic as intoxicant.
Aliu Bakau, the Chairman of PSN in the state, who gave the the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, said overdose of blood tonic could lead to iron poisoning.
He said the youths had gone “haywire” in experimenting with any drug that could  intoxicate them.
Bakau said: “This is the latest trend by the youths.
“They have the urge to be on intoxicant and they are now abusing blood tonic drugs such as Orheptal because of the little alcohol content in the drug.”
He said the youths were exploiting the percentage of alcohol the blood tonic has, just as they were doing with codeine.
According to him, PSN has alerted members to be wary when they see unusual purchase and use of blood tonic, especially when bought in cartons by the youths.
Bakau also called on PSN members to stick to professional ethics and alert the necessary agencies when they discover unusual misuse of the drugs by buyers.
The PSN Chairman warned that overdose of any drug can have adverse effect on the body of the individual, especially on the kidney.
Also speaking with NAN, Dr. Misbau Lawal, the Health Coordinator, Basic Registry and Information System in Nigeria, warned that taking exceedingly high dose of blood tonic is dangerous.
He explained that blood tonic contains iron as active ingredient, adding that repeated use in high doses could result in perforation of the intestinal tracts, leading to haemorrhage.
According to Lawal, overdose of iron can also lead to mass blood loss, which can precipitate gradual anaemia, leading to death.
The BRISIN Health Coordinator appealed to stakeholders on the importance of creating awareness on drug abuse.
“Pharmacists should also interview buyers demanding for the drugs before selling to them,” he said.
NAN.