Saturday 30 April 2016


Mephedrone Q&A

The Telegraph answers the key questions about the legal drug mephedrone, which is linked to the death of two teenage friends.

Mephedrone deaths: Nicholas Smith, 19 and Louis Wainwright, 18

What is mephedrone?

Mephedrone is most commonly a white, off-white or yellowish powder which has become popular with teenagers and can be bought on hundreds of internet websites, where it is falsely advertised as "plant food", for as little as £4.

A powerful stimulant, it is usually snorted like cocaine and has become one of the most widely used recreational drugs in Britain due to its cheapness, easy availability and legality.

What else is it known as?

It has a host of street names including miaow miaow, meph, 4-MMC, MCAT, MC, Drone and Bubbles.

What is in it?

Police said that the exact chemical make-up of each batch is slightly different. The drug is synthesised by Chinese and south-east Asian chemists in back street laboratories abroad and sold over the internet. It is derived from cathinone, an extract from an African plant called khat. Cathinone is related to amphetamine compounds, like ecstasy.

Why is it legal in this country?

The parent drug, cathinone, is listed as a class C illegal drug. But its derivatives, new ones of which appear every year, are not yet listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. This means it is currently legal to possess mephedrone. The drug is already illegal in Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, after it was linked to a series of deaths.

Why are police involved in the investigation into two deaths in Humberside?

Although it is legal to possess mephedrone, it is against the law to sell, supply or advertise the powder for human consumption, under the Medicines Act. This is why most websites selling it label the drug as a “plant feeder” and “not for human consumption”. Gardening experts however, say it is not a fertiliser product known to them.

Who takes it?

It is mostly taken by clubbers, but because it is so cheap and readily available, schoolchildren are also known to be abusing the drug. A secondary school in north west Leicestershire recorded 180 pupils skipped classes after taking the drug since December - more than two a day.

What are the intended effects of taking it?

Mephedrone is seen as an alternative to ecstasy and cocaine. Users say they feel more alert, confident and talkative. Like cocaine, the affects appear to last around an hour before wearing off.

What are the side effects?

Surveys have shown that users also reported headaches, heart palpitations, nausea, high blood pressure, burning throat, nose bleeds and purple joints especially knees and hands. A major concern are reports that once users start using mephedrone in a particular session it is very hard to stop, leading to insomnia and hallucinations. It is not known if mephedrone is addictive.

How dangerous is it?

In Britain, three deaths are now linked to the drug. Doctors say that it is mildly toxic but can lead to seizures. It appears that it can be fatal when taken with other drugs - including alcohol - or used in high concentrations and large doses.

How prevalent is it?

Mephedrone was unknown prior to 2009 but has risen fast to become the favourite new drug of British clubbers. Central hospitals have recorded dozens of patients being admitted suffering from its side effects every month. Police and health authorities are still trying to uncover the full scale of the problem.


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