An elderly Sattahip woman was arrested for selling a mixture of cough syrup and pain relievers that sent two local teens to the hospital.
Wandee Sirisamphan, 73, was taken into custody Oct. 22 at the Chaiyaporn Pharmacy in Sattahip Market by District Chief Anucha Intasorn, narcotics officers and public-health officials.
She was charged with selling unregistered drugs, selling medicine not allowed under her license and working as a pharmacist without a license. Police seized 3,820 capsules of pain reliever Tramadol, and 123 packs of sexual performance drugs Caverta, Viagra and Sidegra.
The arrest came after two teenagers overdosed on the so-called “4×100 mixture” of Tramadol, cough syrup Manu-coff and cola.
Thai teens increasingly are grinding up packs of 20 500-mg. tablets of the potent pain reliever, mixing them with 60 ml. of Mano-coff and diluting it with up to four liters of soda water or Coke.
The mix supposedly gives them a euphoric high. But it also leads to liver and kidney failure, seizures, depression, addiction and even death.
A prescription drug and controlled substance in the west, Tramadol is easily and cheaply available over the counter for just 70 baht for a pack of 10 fast-acting tablets. She sold the Mano-coff at 170 baht.
Public-health officials said Chaiyaporn Pharmacy was licensed to sell only over-the-counter drugs, not controlled substances.
Wandee faces up to three years in prison and fines of up to 35,000 baht.
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