Sex Shop in France. Wikimedia Commons

Herbal Viagra is one of the most popular products sold in sex shops across Costa Rica these days. Male customers who take these products, which are sold over-the-counter to any adult, report that herbal Viagra is very effective insofar as resulting in long-lasting erections and pleasant feelings of excitement and euphoria.

According to a recent report filed by Angie Guerrero of online news daily Costa Rica Hoy, officials from the Ministry of Public Health have conducted laboratory tests of these herbal Viagra products and found that their effectiveness can be explained by their contents, which include sildenafil citrate, the main ingredient found in Viagra, and traces of amphetamine in crystalline hydrochloride form; crystal meth, essentially.

The Health Ministry carried out “raids” (more than likely unannounced visits) on sex shops across Costa Rica in recent weeks after reports of customers lining up to purchase herbal Viagra, poppers, and 39 other products that officials state should not be openly sold due to their potential for toxicity and other risky side effects. As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star:

At electronic music clubs and bars that cater to LGBT crowds in Costa Rica, revelers and couples are increasingly using a drug that enhances their sensorial experience while facilitating anal intercourse.

Amyl nitrite, a vasodilator that in the early 20th century was often prescribed in the treatment of angina pectoris, is currently undergoing a resurgence in Costa Rica, albeit not for therapeutic purposes.

Aside from poppers and herbal Viagra, Health Ministry officials found one substance labeled as “ChemSex,” which a laboratory analysis showed it is mostly crystallized methamphetamine; thankfully, a single dose of ChemSex is not highly concentrated, and it is usually marketed as being enough for a couple to share.

The problem is that an uninformed or unscrupulous sex shop operator in Costa Rica could sell several ChemSex packets to a single person, who could potentially suffer an overdose episode. In fact, a man who consumes too much ChemSex will probably be unable to hold an erection due to compromised circulation, which may prompt him to consume herbal Viagra, thereby increasing the likelihood of a dangerous overdose.