ALTHOUGH the Internet can be a great place to spend some time, it can be home to some very dubious activities.

One dangerous enterprise causing concern among doctors is the selling of medicines direct to the public over the web.

They say some online pharmacies are selling potentially harmful drugs without asking to see a prescription or giving medical advice.

For example Prozac can be bought in the UK only with a prescription, but online you could be in receipt of some within a few days, without providing any paperwork.

Naturally, the great fear is that people don't actually know what they are buying or just how safe or otherwise the pills are.

The other great problem is that it is almost impossible to prosecute unscrupulous traders, especially when they post drugs from abroad.

And even if these businesses are forced to close down, they often reopen under another name and continue trading.