Party drug likely factor in death of 24-year-old (From The Northern Echo)

Lois Waters died after taking mephedrone

9:04am Friday 2nd July 2010 in Mephedrone: The Dangers

THE party drug mephedrone is likely to have contributed to the death of a 24-year-old woman, who died only a couple of days after taking the then legal high, an inquest heard.

Lois Waters was taking prescribed anti-depressants when she took the drug and the combination may have affected an undetected underlying heart condition, the inquest was told.

Ms Waters, from Norton, near Malton, North Yorkshire, was found dead at a friend’s house on March 22 after taking mephedrone, also known as M-Cat or Miaow Miaow, in the early hours of March 20.

Mephedrone has since been reclassified as a Class B drug.

Dr Simon Elliott, a consultant forensic toxicologist, told the inquest in Scarborough that little was known about mephedrone, which was relatively new in the UK, but it could not be ruled out as contributing to Miss Waters’ death.

Dr Elliott said the drug, a stimulant with characteristics in common with ecstasy, worked in a similar way to anti-depressants that Miss Waters was taking and could have reacted with that medication and affected the young woman’s heart.

The inquest heard that a post-mortem examination recorded Miss Waters’ cause of death as early myocardial ischemia and patchy bronchopneumonia.

Dr Elliott told the inquest: “Mephedrone could have an impact on the heart. She has obviously got some underlying heart condition.

“There’s a strong chance that it would have an effect.”

Sarah Ford, Miss Waters’ friend of 14 years, broke down in tears when she told the inquest about the days leading up to the woman’s death.

Miss Ford described how she took mephedrone with Miss Waters in the early hours of March 20, and said the pair had taken the drug many times before.

She told the inquest her friend had gone to her house on March 21 and had gone to bed, complaining of feeling unwell, but she put it down to her “being up all weekend”.

Miss Waters was found dead at Miss Ford’s house the following morning.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, Coroner Michael Oakley said that Miss Waters’ cause of death of early myocardial ischemia and patchy bronchopneumonia was contributed to by mephedrone and anti-depressant medication.

At the end of last year, The Northern Echo launched a campaign to warn people that the use of mephedrone could be deadly.