Calls for help over mephedrone usage soar

Almost 5,000 inquiries were made by health workers last year about the damaging effects on patients of the drug mephedrone.

About 4,500 online and 292 telephone inquiries were received by the Health Protection Agency's National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) in 2009-10. In the year 2008-9, not one inquiry was logged.

Mephedrone, which was banned in April and classified as a class B drug, has rarely featured in NPIS inquiries in previous years.

But the latest data shows it was the most common recreational drug asked about on the phone in 2009-10 and the third most common in online inquiries, after MDMA and cocaine.

Professor Simon Thomas, director of the NPIS in New- castle upon Tyne, said: "The major change in the NPIS workload in 2009-10 came from an increase in inquiries related to mephedrone.

"Telephone enquiries to NPIS about mephedrone have fallen substantially since it was classified a class B controlled substance in April, from 119 inquiries received in March to 19 received in June 2010."

Other figures, relating to poisoning by household products, showed liquid tablets for the washing machine caused most incidents.

Of 5,939 inquiries by health workers, 647 were about the tablets, followed by 473 about bleach, 408 about multi-purpose cleaners, 397 about de-scalers and 270 regarding disinfectant, antiseptic or sanitiser liquids.

The remainder were split into different products, including dishwasher tablets, toilet cleaners, washing-up liquid, and floor and bathroom cleaners.

Most inquiries (65 per cent ) related to children aged five or under, and a majority came from hospitals.