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The unnecessary and irresponsible consumption of Clonazepam can produce consequences ranging from nausea to coma.
According to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, when clonazepam is co-administered with CNS depressants including alcohol, the effects on sedation, respiration and hemodynamics may be intensified.
Clonazepam is used to control certain types of seizures and panic attacks but it must be prescribed by a health professional for its correct use.
At least fifteen fifth and sixth grade students from the María de Jesús López elementary school, located in the capital of Guanajuato, were intoxicated after ingesting clonazepam to meet the famous TikTok challenge. The minors were taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Elementary students would have consumed the medicine to join the challenge “the one who falls asleep last, wins”, which has gone viral on the TikTok social network. According to what was reported by other media, one of the students was able to provide clonazepam drops to her classmates, since she consumes the medication.
Minutes after 10 in the morning last Monday, the emergency system received the report of two students intoxicated by the intake of clonazepam. Personnel from the Mexican Red Cross, Civil Protection and Guanajuato Fire Department arrived at the scene.
School authorities reported that a total of 15 students were poisoned by ingesting clonazepam, but only four of them were transferred to the hospital by the emergency bodies, since the remaining 11 students had already been taken by their parents.
#COFEPRIS 🚨 RISK ALERT || #clonazepam
Let’s prevent children and adolescents from putting their health at risk, given the challenge that is disseminated on social networks “Whoever falls asleep last wins”. This challenge harms health and has serious consequences.
🧐+👇https://t.co/bdpxJFuj3I pic.twitter.com/83aRzcZF2d– Ministry of Health (@SaludGuanajuato) January 31, 2023
COFEPRIS alert after first cases of poisoning
The Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) issued an alert last January 23 reporting about the risks involved in taking drugs such as clonazepam that are promoted in social media challenges such as Tiktok, where the game consists of trying to stay awake after consuming the medicine.
According to the COFEPRIS statement, It should be taken into account that the consumption of this medicine can have side effects in the person who consumes it, for example, drowsiness, dizziness, loss of balance, coordination problems, difficulty thinking or remembering, headache, nausea, muscle pain or of joints, blurred vision, depression, tremors, urinary incontinence and retention, and increased salivation, among others.
According to the COFEPRIS statement, inducing, promoting or creating challenges for social networks or any platform, which may harm the health of all people, especially children and adolescents, due to the consumption and use of medicines, substances or any type of activity, could have serious consequences to the health of minors, including death.
Related notes: