Young Russians are being seduced by a cheap, dangerous weight-loss pill called Molecule
8 minutes ago Share Save Sofya Volyanova BBC News Russian Share Save
Maria 22-year-old Maria suffered serious side effects after trying the unlicensed weight loss drug promoted on TikTok
Molecule, a pill promising rapid weight loss, went viral on Russian TikTok earlier this year. Young people's feeds started filling up with captions like "Take Molecule and forget food exists", and "Do you want to sit in the back of the class in oversized clothes?" Clips showed fridges lined with blue boxes featuring holograms and "Molecule Plus" labels. The orders began piling in, as teenagers shared their "weight-loss journeys" on social media. But there was a catch. Maria, 22, had purchased the pill from a popular online retailer. She took two pills per day and, after two weeks, says her mouth dried up and she completely lost her appetite.
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