Drug variations put users at risk, says study (From The Northern Echo)

Drug variations put users at risk, says study

10:45am Thursday 15th July 2010 in Mephedrone: The Dangers By Joe Willis, Regional chief reporter

THE quality of illegal drug mephedrone varies so much that users could be at risk of overdosing, researchers say.

Scientists at the University of Sunderland came to the conclusion after examining samples of the drug bought online.

Mephedrone was reclassified as an illegal Class B drug in April after being linked in the media to at least four deaths.

These included 24-year-old Lois Waters, from Norton, near Malton, North Yorkshire, who died at a friend’s house on March 22 after taking the drug.

Mephedrone, also known as M-cat, Miaow-Miaow and Moonshine, is popular among young clubbers. Before being classified as illegal, it was sold online as plant fertiliser.

Six samples were tested in the University of Sunderland’s labs by Dr John Lough and his team.

Although impurity levels were low, three samples revealed various particle size and crystalline form, which means that the drug is more likely to vary in its effect and safety on the user.

Dr Lough said: “While our batch was almost free from organic impurities, the tests are a very good illustration that drugs of abuse are more likely to be of variable quality and therefore of variable safety and efficacy.”

Students determined that the lack of organic impurities suggested the samples had been developed in synthetic chemistry labs, rather than being cut together in back street dens.

Dr Lough said: “Safety is generally linked to the concentration of a drug circulating in the body.

“If mephedrone displayed adverse effects at concentrations close to that needed by users to obtain a hit then there would be a serious danger of users suffering adverse effects because of the uncertainty surrounding how much drug they were ingesting.”

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