Women taking cocaine to stay slim

Young women living on diet of cocaine and slimming pills to keep trim

ONE IN SEVEN women are taking drugs like cocaine and speed in a bid to stay slim, according to a new survey.

In the report, carried out by online analyst Demographix, 37% of the 2000 women polled had taken slimming pills, 15% had taken speed or cocaine and 26% had used laxatives as slimming aids.

But the great majority of women who use drug-taking or drastic dieting to lose weight will pile it straight back on again in a matter of weeks – and are playing a dangerous game with their health at the same time.

Experts warn the glamorous image of cocaine masked health risks such as heart attacks and strokes; several dozen deaths are attributed to the use of cocaine and amphetamines every year.

Dr Ian Campbell, medical director of Weight Concern, said it was alarming that women were using illegal drugs in thwarted attempts to be slim.

'There is no evidence that they have any long-term effect on weight but a great deal of evidence that they are harmful to health,' he tells the Daily Mail.

'The only long-term solution to weight control is lifestyle changes, including dietary modification and more exercise. There is no substitute for effort.'

The survey also revealed that a third of women would give up sex to be slim for ever, while 86% said they would rather drop a dress size than sleep with David Beckham.