The Ministry of Health has appealed to the public to stop using quick weight loss medicines as it could endanger their lives. It also warned of legal action against sellers who don’t register their medicinal products.

In a Monday announcement, the ministry said it had previously inspected quick weight loss products and found they were effective because they contained sibutramine – a prohibited substance in the medical sector.

“This substance seriously harms health and users can face an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes,” the announcement said.

Ministry officials had been paying close attention to a Facebook user named Tey Loner, who had been advertising a weight loss product called Slim-Me without registering it with the ministry.

The advertisements told lies and presented distorted facts to the public, while the product itself had no proper scientific basis, the ministry said.

“Slim-Me can help. It truly promotes weight loss in the short term. Eat only one can, and you can lose two to five kg. It is guaranteed to not harm your health,” one of Loner’s posts said.

The ministry urged the public to avoid wasting money on a product that could harm, or possibly even kill them.

It said it would take strict legal action against Loner, who imported and advertised the unregistered products. The Post reached Loner on Monday.

“I am delaying selling the product because I am in a province. I don’t know when I will sell it again. Let’s wait and see when I go back to [Phnom Penh]. The product is safe.

“If someone wants to buy it or know more about it, they can send me a message via [Facebook] Messenger,” Loner said.

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