Fifty brands of sex drugs in market

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Health Ministry warns the public against using unregistered sexual stimulants without medical advice which can cause instant heart attacks and strokes.

There are over 50 brands of sexual stimulative drugs in the local market but only six brands are safe to use and registered with the Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Control Authority (CDDCA), a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman CDDA will take legal action if any private pharmacy sells unregistered sexual stimulative drugs or sell such drugs without prescriptions. Sexual stimulative drugs instantly and rapidly increase blood pressure and heart rate. If taken without medical advice, such drugs can cause sudden heart attacks and strokes in persons who use them.

Usually persons use high doses of such drugs to achieve better results quickly. But doctors prescribe a certain dose of a safe and registered drug only after thoroughly examining the other medical conditions of the persons such as high blood pressure, diabetes etc and the age of the persons, he said.

Long-term use of sexual stimulative drugs cause many other complications such as depression, insomnia, digestive problems, weight loss, headaches, nervousness, restlessness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, severe fatigue, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and skin rashes etc. Such drugs contain a chemical named `Sildenafil' which is harmful to health, he added.

But due to various myths and fabricated concepts about sexual intercourse, a large number of people use dangerous sexual stimulative drugs in high doses. They buy such drugs from private pharmacies which sell them under 'members only' policy. Legal action will be taken against all such pharmacies, he said.