In England 67 Chinese medicine outlets are being investigated for selling illegal substances under the guise of non-invasive herbal medicine the BBC [1] reports. Several stores are currently being prosecuted. The maximum prison sentence for selling an illegal drug in the UK is two years.

According to the report, some customers were sold Aristochlia — an herb that is illegal in the UK — while others bought Danthron and Sibutramine, prescription-only drugs. As more people turn to doctors with ailments they say were caused by inaccurately or illegally sold herbs and medicines, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) organizations worry about the reputation of the ancient healing system.

Dr. Jidong Wu, of the UK’s Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine [2], told the BBC that he wants tighter regulation of TCM as “dodgy and fake” practitioners are tarnishing its image.