Worryingly, among the emoji-punctuated ad copy included claims that Lignosus “Supports Lung Detoxification”, “Enhances Respiratory Wellness”, and “Provides Natural Asthma & COPD Support”.

Asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are common but serious conditions. In the last decade, 12,000 people in the UK have died from asthma – that’s a rate of three per day. Similarly, according to the WHO, 3.5 million people died worldwide from COPD in 2021, making it the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. These are not conditions that products ought to claim to treat without good evidence, as persuading people to forego their regular medication can have dire consequences.

There is no evidence that Tiger Milk Mushroom – the extract at the heart of the Lignosus product – can clear lungs of smoking damage within seven days, or improve oxygen levels for COPD patients in a similar timeline. Nor is their evidence that their product is “Anti-inflammatory, Anti-asthmatic, Anti-Tumor(sic), Antioxidant, Anti-Microbial, Anti-Illness”.