The previously legal high drug mephedrone, also known as meow meow is fast becoming the drug of choice for UK clubbers.  A study carried out by Lancaster University showed that 41% of the respondents admitted to taking it in the last month.  Its popularity was second only to cocaine.

Despite being classed as Class B drug in April 2010 this seems to have done little to curb usage of the drug.  Frances Measham is an senior lecturer in Criminology and acted as the lead researcher for this study commented that people were taking the drug because they enjoyed how it made them feel, the fact that it was illegal was irrelevant.

In recent years that purity of cocaine and ecstasy have declined.  Research toxicologists from King’s College London who also took part in the study suggest that this could also a contributory factor  - ”The popularity of mephedrone suggested by this study should be placed in the national context of a recent reduction in the availability, purity, prevalence and associated deaths for established illegal drugs in the United Kingdom, such as ecstasy and cocaine.”

Trimega’s Manchester laboratory was the first in the UK to test hair samples for mephedrone.

New evidence shows a shift in behaviour in drug usage by young people.  Under 25s are now showing a trend of moving away from traditional drugs such as cocaine in favour of legal highs.  This is being attributed to the cost, quality and legality.

Peter Kelsey, team leader for Lifeline Redcar and Cleveland, which helps drug users, said “People hear the word legal and they think it’s safe. It’s anything but. With legal highs, there have been lots of reports of different side effects like people committing suicide or becoming paranoid because of mephedrone binges. It’s new so we are still trying to establish the best way to deal with it.”

The government has responded by banning  Mephedrone in April this year.  Measures are also being put in place to ban forthcoming legal highs for a period of up to 12 months.

Blogging about a blog…Former Lib Dem Minister and science spokesman Evan Harris maintains that the rush to ban mephedrone has now put young people at greater risk of the next legal high.  He states a number of events that took place after the media frenzy which eventually led to its ban such as:  the suspected mephedrone deaths were in fact not related to mephedrone; the resignation of a number of ACMD members; the government’s rush to ban the substance.  Harris blogs:  “If we want to reduce the harms posed by drugs, we need a more mature and considered public discourse, and we need to start with a solid evidence base.

It will be interesting to see when the next legal high comes along – as it surely has already – whether the media or politicians will pause to reflect on the role that banning a potentially less harmful alternative will have played in any deaths apparently caused by its replacement. Place your bets.”

A new legal high has surfaced in which the Tory Crime Prevention Minister, James Brokenshire, has advised that they will fast-track bans on emerging legal highs.  Since the ban of mephedrone, also known as ‘miaow miaow’, new legal highs are begining to surface and if not careful, could potentially flood the market.  Brokenshire said:  ”We are going to change our drug laws so we can respond quickly to emerging substances by introducing a temporary ban while we seek full scientific advice.”

More than £40,000 worth of drugs has been uncovered in a mail sorting office in Belfast.  The haul included amphetamines, herbal cannabis, LSD, Diazepam and recently banned mephedrone.