The family of Chris Mapletoft has released a statement urging action on the drug that killed him.

Chris was an 18-year-old A-level student at Hampton School who had been planning a post-exams holiday.

It was revealed at his inquest last week that Chris had been taking weight loss drug Dinitrophenol (DNP), which is not for human consumption but easily available over the internet.

It was used as a weight loss drug in the 1930s, but was banned due to severe health side effects. It has been responsible for a number of deaths in the UK.

Chris’s mother Lesley Mapletoft, speaking from the family home in Twickenham, said: “We are completely heartbroken over the tragic death of our son and of course we had absolutely no idea no idea he was taking this dreadful DNP substance.”

Mrs Mapletoft went on to urge anyone taking the drug, which changes the way the body deals with fat and can cause overheating, to seek medical attention urgently.

She said it was very unlikely Chris, a promising rugby player, was using the drug for sport, but instead using it to work on his physique ahead of a planned holiday with friends. She added: “How can something unsuitable for human consumption be sold in tablet form with no obvious legal penalties?

“The only think we can do is plead with people not to take DNP. It’s lethal.”

 

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