Harare — SOMETHING has to be done urgently to stop the sale of dangerous "beauty" drugs in hair salons and flea markets, particularly at Mbare's Mupedzanhamo and Machipisa in Highfield.

There are also a number of creams circulating in Zimbabwe that bleach the skin but cause permanent damage to the face in the long-term.

And just when we thought Zimbabwe was winning the war against illegally imported skin lighterners, comes the disturbing news that the country is now flooded with Apetitos, Apectine, Supa Apeti and Mega Apeti.

These are "figure-enhancing" drugs, which are taken orally or inserted into the rectum for a "rounder and curvy backside", a shift from the slim look that women have always yearned for.

The slim look seems to be now synonymous with chronic conditions, notably HIV/Aids, hence the desire for a fuller figure.

The tablets are also said to enhance the breasts and hips.

Apetitos is the most popular of these tablets and comes in fancy packaging adorned with a colourful picture of fruits. One can easily mistake them for vitamin pills.

There have been numerous attempts to clamp down on the illegal sale and abuse of prescription drugs in Zimbabwe, but it would seem the controls are not tight enough to curb such practices.

The other problem lies at Zimbabwe's ports of entry where some of these dangerous drugs find their way to Mupedzanhamo, Machipisa and other illegal markets.

There is need for immigration and customs officials at Zimbawe's border posts, particularly Chirundu, to be vigilant for these drugs.

The same vigilance should be extended to Movate and Diprosone, skin lightening creams known to contain high levels of mercury.

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe recently analysed the Apetitos drug and concluded that it was not only dangerous but did not in any way contribute to a woman's physical appearance.

The MCAZ had even more bad news for those seeking a fuller figure.

Prolonged use of the tablets could result in severe complications, including urinary retention and gastrointestinal problems.

Furthermore, the drugs regulatory body warned that such drugs should only be taken with a prescription from a registered medical practitioner and not on the sweet sales talk of a black market vendor.

The source of these drugs remains a mystery.

This makes it imperative for all stakeholders to come up with an initiative focusing on law enforcement and legislation, trade and new technologies to detect them at the points of entry.

But it would seem no country is immune to the problem as the smugglers are becoming more and more sophisticated, making detection more difficult.

It is a fact that these drugs are more prevalent in countries with weak drug regulation control and enforcement infrastructure.

We urge the relevant authorities to descend on these traders to save our pliable youths who are said to be the major consumers of these dangerous tablets.