Mephedrone Know the effects

What is Mephedrone?

Mephedrone is also known as meow meow, meph, m-cat and miaow

Mephedrone is a powerful stimulant and is part of a group of drugs which are closely related to amphetamines, like speed and ecstasy.

Mephedrone can be a fine white, off-white or a yellowish powder.

It was originally sold over the internet as a ‘legal’ alternative to drugs like speed, ecstasy and cocaine.

To get around the law, dealers said that the mephedrone they were selling was plant food or a bath salt and not for human consumption.

The effects

The effects of mephedrone can vary and can affect people differently. It is never certain what effect it will have on the user.

Reported effects include:

heart palpitations
insomnia
loss of short-term memory
vertigo (a form of dizziness)
grinding of teeth
sweating and uncomfortable changes in body temperature
blurred vision and muscle tension in the face and jaw are likely
Mephedrone can also make users feel paranoid and anxious, and can cause vomiting and headaches
Over-stimulate the nervous system, causing hallucinations, feelings of agitation and even fits
Raise blood pressure, which can lead to heart problems and strokes
Mephedrone causes stress to the heart, so it could bring on a heart attack
It has a particularly bad ‘come down’ and studies have shown an increased rate of suicide in the ‘come down’ period
After effects can include low mood, feeling dizzy, tiredness and mood swings

The risks

All drugs pose a risk of dependency and can cause short and long-term damage to your health.
Mephedrone use can lead to psychological dependence. Regular users may experience cravings and the need to take increasing amounts.
Many white powders may be sold as popular drugs such as mephedrone and MDMA, but contain more harmful substances.
Research suggests that, on average, mephedrone is 50% pure, being mixed or cut with other substances, such as caffeine, monosodium glutamate (normally used as a flavour enhancer) and benzocaine (a local anaesthetic which can produce a ‘numbing’ effect).

In some cases, the powder contains no mephedrone at all.

The Law

Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are controlled substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971).
Mephedrone is a Class B drug, which means it is illegal to possess, sell or give away.
Possession can result in prosecution and up to a five year prison sentence or an unlimited fine.
Supplying someone else, even your friends, can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years or an unlimited fine.

Being convicted of a drug-related offence could have a serious impact on your future.This could affect the types of jobs you apply for and stop you from entering certain countries.