On social networks, sellers of “aphrodisiac honey” illegally entering the territory abound. Customs warn of “a near doubling of business and exponential growth in terms of quantities”. For the consumer, the game is risky.
A little sweet stick for a spicy evening. This is the promise of many brands of “aphrodisiac honey”, or “erectile honey”, sold secretly in France. Small sachets of a few grams of a dangerous mixture, increasingly present in France, according to a report from the General Directorate of French Customs transmitted to BFMTV.com, confirming the information from Le Figaro.
The organization is warning of increasingly regular seizures of this product that is dangerous to health. In 2019, 18 seizures of illegal cargo were recorded by their services, compared to 131 in 2023. And the trend continues.
“2024 marked an absolute record, both in terms of findings and in terms of quantities seized. The largest seizure alone made it possible to apprehend 13 tons of erectile honey in Marseille,” explain the Bercy services.
The cargoes come from Malaysia, Turkey, Tunisia and even Thailand. In the boxes, dozens of doses stamped “natural honey” or “energizing honey”, without specifying the presence of a crucial ingredient: sildenafil, the active ingredient… of the famous Viagra. A prescription medication prescribed for erectile dysfunction in men.
A product sold on social networks
In just a few minutes, BFMTV.com was able to identify several sellers of this clandestine product on social networks. Accounts dedicated to these products on Tiktok, Instagram or Facebook. Some even claim to be able to “deliver throughout France”.
The claims are legion: “boosts and stimulates fertility”, “100% natural”, “no side effects”, etc.
The costs? Some offer a jar for 30 euros, others offer around ten bags for 50 euros. Similar products are also sold on e-commerce platforms that are legal and, theoretically, subject to controls.
-Customs also note a more formal sale of these illegal products, “in certain night shops” or behind the counters of certain tobacco shops, where we already find trade in contraband tobacco or the wider sale of narcotics.
“Very serious” health risks
Why is this trade such a big problem? Because consumers are unaware of the presence of medicinal substances in these products sold as natural.
The molecule, present in Viagra for example, is not trivial. It is a vasodilator, that is to say a substance which dilates blood vessels and results in a reduction in blood pressure.
Two risks thus arise: concomitant use of adulterated honey with another treatment, and overdose. The first case is favored by the overlap between populations using these products and those suffering from heart problems.
“We risk very serious or even fatal accidents” if taken simultaneously, explains Doctor Alain Ducardonnet, cardiologist and BFMTV health consultant.
The second risk is overdose. “If we take too much, we risk epileptic seizures, hemorrhagic accidents or kidney problems,” he emphasizes.
The use of this type of product is also an aberration. Medications for erectile dysfunction are accessible with a simple medical consultation, which allows you to avoid all the risks associated with the treatment.
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