Mephedrone
Mephedrone is a synthetic stimulant, a cathinone, a group of drugs similar to amphetamines. Mephedrone is also known as: 4-MMC, Bounce, Bubble, Charge, Drone, M-Cat, MC, Meow Meow, Meph, Miaow, White Magic. [1] Mephedrone became a class B drug in April 2010 along with all cathinones. The Lancet reported that it was the first generic ban of a group of drugs based on their chemical structure.[2] The Lancet were vocal in their criticism of the ban on the grounds that not enough was known about the harm and effects as the evidence on methedrone is sparse. The Lancet claimed that the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs who advised the government on the ban had been rushed and politics had been allowed to "contaminate" science. [3] Nevertheless a ban was pursued by the then Home Secretary Alan Johnson and came into force on the 16th of April 2010. Prior to the ban methedrone had received widespread attention in the media following a couple of high profile cases.
According to a report in The Guardian in January 2010:
- Growing numbers of teenagers and young people are receiving emergency medical treatment after being harmed by a legal drug that has the same effects as ecstasy and cocaine. Users of mephedrone are ending up with nose bleeds and burns, paranoia, heart palpitations, insomnia and memory problems. Some have had such a strong reaction to it that their hearts have stopped and they have had to be resuscitated. The drug – also known as "drone", "bubble" or "meow meow" – is causing concern to NHS staff, drug workers and the police, who are powerless to control it because it is legal. It comes in powder, tablet, crystal or liquid form and is marketed as plant food or bath salts, often via the internet[4].
The Sun approached mephedrone and the issue of "legal highs" more generally with hysteria. Typical headlines included "Legal drug teen ripped his scrotum off" [5] and "If mum knew I took meow meow she’d kill me... sure, it’s dangerous, but you think it will never happen to you" [6]
Contents
History
Evidence
Resources
- Denis Campbell, Fears grow over safety of 'legal high' mephedrone, The Guardian, 17-January-2010
Notes
- ↑ FRANK Mephedrone accessed 12th June 2012
- ↑ Kelly Morris, 17th April 2010, UK places generic ban on mephedrone drug family The Lancet, The Lancet, Volume 375, Issue 9723, Pages 1333 - 1334, accessed 12th June 2012
- ↑ BBC News 16th April 2012 Mephedrone ban comes into force in UK accessed 12th June 2012
- ↑ Denis Campbell, Fears grow over safety of 'legal high' mephedrone, The Guardian, 17-January-2010
- ↑ Vince Soodin, The Sun, Legal drug teen ripped his scrotum off 18th March 2012; accessed 12th June 2012
- ↑ Nick Francis, The Sun, mum knew I took meow meow she’d kill me... sure, it’s dangerous, but you think it will never happen to you 22nd March 2010; accessed 12th June 2012
