15-year-old Faints After Taking Sublingual Nicotine – Purchased from Kiosk

A 15-year-old fainted after taking sublingual nicotine, which, according to a complaint, he bought from a kiosk. The incident has mobilized the Pharmaceutical Services, which warn of the dangers and illegal sale of such preparations.

The Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Elena Panagiotopoulou, speaking to Cyprus Times, stated that the parents of the 15-year-old reported the incident, noting that the young man fainted shortly before training, after taking the preparation. He also felt intense tachycardia.

Ms. Panagiotopoulou stated that there have been other complaints from parents. She emphasized that the consumption of such preparations is difficult to detect, as they have no odor, but involve risks such as addiction, poisoning, dizziness, tachycardia, loss of consciousness, and potentially developmental disorders in the brain.

The Pharmaceutical Services, in cooperation with the Police and the Customs Department, will intensify controls in places where such preparations may be illegally sold. Ms. Panagiotopoulou stressed the need to protect children, as the large amount of nicotine can cause irreversible conditions.