Mephedrone: Thousands in city seek 'legal high' from meow drug

Published on Friday 26 March 2010 09:37

THE NUMBER of people taking the lethal "legal high" mephedrone has "skyrocketed" like no other drug before, with experts warning there are now thousands of regular users in Edinburgh.

Drug counsellors say the substance has far outstripped cocaine or ecstasy in the speed with which it has become widely used in the Capital.

Crew 2000, the drug support agency, based in Cockburn Street, has had more than 1,000 visits from users and others concerned about mephedrone seeking advice on its side effects.

One city shop, which previously sold mephedrone, pulled it from the shelves after growing worried about the "queues" of people lining up to buy it at opening time. There have even been reports of children as young as 13 getting their hands on the substance. Police chiefs said today that although mephedrone was legal, those peddling it could be charged with culpable and reckless conduct.

First Minister Alex Salmond said yesterday he would not wait for the UK Government to ban mephedrone before taking action in Scotland.

Calls from headteachers to ban the substance have intensified after the deaths of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19, from Lincolnshire.

Known as Mcat, meow and bubbles, it is supposed to mimic the effects of stimulants such as amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy, but side-effects can include high blood pressure, nose bleeds, weight loss, and insomnia.

John Arthur, manager of Crew 2000, said it was difficult to put a figure on the number of mephedrone users due to a lack of official studies, but estimated that around two-thirds of cocaine users were also taking it.

Mr Arthur said: "Mephedrone has become very popular, very quickly in Edinburgh. There's never been another drug which has become so popular in such a short space of time, including cocaine and ecstasy.

"We flagged up a change in cocaine use about ten years ago with it replacing ecstasy for recreational users, but it took another six years for that trend to become dominant. This has happened with mephedrone in the space of a year. It's really skyrocketed in a way we've never seen before.

"That has come partly because of the impurity of other drugs, with cocaine, for instance, often only ten per cent pure and ecstasy often not containing any MDMA. Mephedrone is often 99 per cent pure, and doesn't involve buying it from drug dealers."

The Drift Headshop on South Bridge offered mephedrone for 25 a gramme as recently as November, but a sales assistant said that they no longer sold it.

Mr Arthur added: "Most shops in Edinburgh have stopped selling it. Often they say they've been leant on by police or trading standards.

"Some recreational users are taking mephedrone alongside more heavy duty drugs, while for others it seems to be replacing cocaine. There are real health issues connected to mephedrone, but we have to be really careful about linking it to recent deaths. It's still uncertain what the major contributing causes were in those cases."

In November last year, "legal highs" were banned from every nightclub in Edinburgh following fears they could lead to deaths.

Lothian and Borders Police said that the debate surrounding mephedrone was being tackled as a national issue, with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) taking the lead.

Gordon Meldrum, Acpos spokesman on drugs said: "Those who are tempted to use mephedrone should be in no doubt that the substance is harmful – it is prepared and packaged in an unregulated way and evidence indicates that the constituents of what is supplied can vary dramatically which could lead to severe consequences."

Mr Meldrum said that cutting agents routinely found in Class A drugs had been discovered in batches of mephedrone, such as benzocaine, lignocaine, paracetamol and caffeine, "strongly suggesting the involvement of organised crime groups".

He added: "While the authorities have limited powers available to them in respect of many of these so called "legal highs" alternative interventions are available and dealers, if caught, may be reported for culpable and reckless conduct."

Mr Salmond set out the SNP Government's action at First Minister's Questions yesterday after concerns were raised by Nationalist backbencher Brian Adam, a former hospital biochemist.

Mr Salmond said: "We are not waiting for legislation to address this issue."

Training programmes are being sent to all alcohol and drug groups working with young people across Scotland spelling out the dangers.

No trouble getting hold of danger 'plant food'

MOST city shops which freely offered mephedrone over the counter have stopped selling the "legal high" in recent months as fears over its safety grew.

But the substance is still available to buy from at least one Edinburgh outlet, with The Pipe Shop on Leith Walk selling the substance, which is advertised as plant food or bath salts.

The shop is known for its wide range of tobacco from across the world, but it also caters for customers looking for bongs and other paraphernalia usually associated with cannabis.

A cheeky sign on one of the cabinets reveals that Chancellor Alistair Darling has been barred from at The Pipe Shop due to his support for the smoking ban.

An Evening News reporter visited the store yesterday afternoon and queued behind a number of middle-aged men and pensioners looking to stock up on their favourite tobacco. Asking for "plant food" – the reputed code word for buying the substance – our reporter was offered a gramme of mephedrone powder, marked as "Burst Bath Salts", for 20, complete with the logo of a rubber duck on the front. For the same cost, a batch of "Plant Food Capsules" was available.

Reaching under the counter for the packets, stored out of sight unlike most of the shop's stock, a bag of white powder was handed over.

Labels attached to the packet stated it was "not for human consumption", with a short message about the powder's use as "bath salts".

'NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION'

MEPHEDRONE is a synthetic substance based on compounds found in the khat plant, a popular stimulant in East Africa.

It is often sold online as plant food, marked "not for human consumption". Usually sold as a white powder, it can also sometimes be found in pill or liquid form. In the UK it is currently legal to buy but it is against the law to sell, supply, or advertise it for human consumption.