Potentially Lethal Drug Sold Globally as Diet Supplement, Warns INTERPOL

INTERPOL has issued a global alert for a drug known as 2.4-dinitrophenol (DNP), an illicit and potentially lethal drug sold as a dieting and body-building aid. The “Orange Notice” (PDF) warning about DNP was published after a woman in the United Kingdom died and a man in France was left seriously ill after taking the substance. In the 1930s, DNP was used to boost metabolism and encourage weight loss, but it was taken out of circulation due to several deaths. Sold as a plain yellow powder, capsules, or cream, DNP is often illegally manufactured and sold via the Internet; unsafe manufacturing of the drug and potential contamination may be magnifying the dangers of taking the drug, notes INTERPOL.