Christian Peregin
Dangerous but legal party drug in Malta
A 'very worrying' drug
An emerging party drug going by the name of Bubbles or Meow Meow is worrying drug experts, not only because it is cheap and legal but because "we don't know anything about it".
The powder or crystal substance has been linked to deaths in Sweden and the UK, where it has become popular to snort with people as young as 14.
It can be bought over the internet for about €10 per gram as plant food or fertiliser and as a "research chemical not for human consumption".
According to various international reports and online user forums, the substance gives off many of the same effects as ecstasy, cocaine and hallucinogens, producing euphoria, alertness, talkativeness and feelings of empathy.
However, it also leads to severe nose bleeds, nose burns, rashes, anxiety, paranoia, fits, delusions, overstimulation of the nervous system and even heart attacks.
Some reports have said it could easily cause dependency or addictiveness, possibly as much as cocaine.
A British youngster reportedly ripped off his own scrotum after hallucinating for 18 hours that centipedes were crawling all over his body and biting him. Another was admitted for psychiatric treatment after months of using it.
Even former UK drug adviser David Nutt, who was fired for speaking too leniently about drugs, said it was better to take ecstasy than this substance because it was untested and could turn out to be very harmful.
Technically known as Mephedrone, the drug has been banned in Israel, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland while other countries are also planning to make it illegal.
Although it has not yet been officially registered in Malta, The Times is informed that many young people are using it as their new party drug of choice.
Richard Muscat, a University professor and chairman of the National Commission of Drug Abuse, said: "These types of drugs destroy nerve cells, so they remove part of your potential. It doesn't make sense to use them in the first place. But, even more so, with something like Mephedrone... because we don't know anything about it."
Prof. Nutt was reported as saying that Mephedrone was "at least" as dangerous as speed but, more importantly, that "these chemicals have never been put into animals, let alone humans".
Prof. Muscat suggested the drug be banned immediately in Malta through a legal notice. "Otherwise, we're going to have the same situation we had with Steve Marsden," he said.
Mr Marsden, 50, had tried to import 50,000 pills similar to ecstasy but containing a chemical compound - mCPP as opposed to MDMA - that had not been illegal at the time. Although he was initially jailed for 25 years, he was set free this year because the appeal's court could not prove he conspired to traffic an illegal substance.
Mephedrone, which is said to be manufactured in China, is generally snorted but some reports suggested it can be swallowed too and may be found in a pill or capsule form.
Forensic expert Mario Mifsud said the EU was monitoring this substance to see whether to ban it, depending on whether the trend continued or not.
He said he had recently received international reports of the drug causing death after being injected. He said it was a "very worrying" drug because its "toxic dose" had not yet been identified.
A spokesman for the anti-abuse government agency, Sedqa, confirmed the drug was being used locally and said that while no drugs should be underestimated extra caution should be taken with Mephedrone because of the lack of research available about its repercussions.
Sedqa also warned against mixing any drug with alcohol or with prescribed medicine because such practice increased the risks of an overdose.
Anyone with a substance abuse problem can contact Sedqa on supportline 179 or 2388 5110.
Factbox
Technical name: Mephedrone, 4-MMC, MMCAT.
Street names: Bubbles, Meow Meow, Drone.
Sold as: Plant food or fertiliser, research chemical.
Price: Between €5 and €15 per gram.
Form: White powder or crystals (even capsules and pills).
Usage: Can be snorted, swallowed and even injected.
Banned: Norway, Denmark, Israel, Sweden and Finland.
Intended effects: Euphoria, alertness, talkativeness and feelings of empathy.
Other effects: Severe nosebleeds, rashes, delusions, fits, heart failure, psychological dependence.
Death: Mephedrone has been linked to the death of an 18-year-old Swedish woman and, most notably, 14-year-old Gabriella Price from Brighton whose untimely death sparked a media frenzy about Mephedrone in the UK.
40 Comments
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Christian Sciberras
Jan 6th 2010, 15:40
The crux of the matter is this drug.
Should anyone be taking such a drug? No.
Sideeffects of having it illegalized? No.
Then make it illegal and stop the crap about it.
Joe Xuereb
Jan 2nd 2010, 00:07
As more and more people seek oblivion by ingesting mood-altering substances, others are getting to recognise that anything that alters moods to their detriment are shying away from any such substance. Why wait for test reports and a million anecdotes that prove the harm done by whatever changes the mood artificially, ie unnaturally? People could do worse than ask themselves why do they want to get high. What is wrong with feeling natural, low (as in normal)?. Many speak of the opium of the people and its undesirability. Maybe Malta is not ready for this yet. Nobody is saying that life is a bowl of cherries. But is it so bad that the young and no so young want to knock themselves out and live a disordered life and spread despair? We didn't take drugs when we were kids. We survived our youth. The market forces are present that is undeniable. The party-giver has a vested interest. You don't have to go. And if you did, you can still be in control and not mess up your life. Young people need advice but not the sanctimonious type. They do not heed that type especially if unasked for.
Stephen Baldacchino
Jan 1st 2010, 18:46
Compliments....... Really great advertising.
Elizia Vassallo
Jan 1st 2010, 10:39
Dear Mike Gatt
I can't help but pass a comment....Drugs, illegal or not, have a different reaction on different people!! Consider yourself lucky you got away unharmed.By bragging about your use or giving out all your info is of no use to anyone especially youngsters who experiment with drugs.
Sonya Pecorella
Jan 1st 2010, 00:47
mephodrone? there have been quite a few documentaries over the past few years on discovery channel about people taking this drug in the USA...maltese people watch out!
Mike Gatt
Dec 31st 2009, 16:42
Miguel is Right. There are so many myths about drugs. FYI I tried mephedrone in UK and it is waaaaayyyyy far from hallucinogens and i never saw any insect biting any scrotum lol. i never saw anything with it. all you get is euphoria and energy, legally. however, we ppl buy mephedrone which is 99.9% pure crystals. Once they make it legal, mephedrone would be mixed with the TRULY DEADLY Chemicals to make more profit and use less active ingredient to create a larger mass. Those two people that died on mephedrone mixed it with Ketamine and large amounts of alcohol. mephedrone is MDMA with two molecular tweak away from pure MDMA and if you see a BBC documentary on pure MDMA you will get to know that is is harmless if you keep hydrated. You will notice more deaths after any drug is made illegal. This is hard to understand but it is TRUE - 'The Illegality makes a drug fatal' ....quote from a BBC Documentary. A Drug is like a medicine, respect it and you're ok, abuse it and you're dead. Well just like panadols. nearly all drugs were used in medication before they were illegal!
angie schembri
Dec 31st 2009, 09:10
Now that we are aware of it's entrance into malta, the authorithies must be more strict and have sniffer dogs within the Maltapost to search for the drugs. Or else shut down the company that sells them
Joe E Galea
Dec 31st 2009, 08:45
What is hilarious or sad in this country that everyone knows that drugs in Malta are as common as sweets especially during events. The police definitely know this and still wherever you go you see people from kids to elderly high on drugs. You can actually see drugs passing in hands and drug taking just as if it is something illegal.
Tonight the drug dealers will be ultra busy with their new year's eve massive drug sale.
Ramon Casha
Dec 31st 2009, 07:45
I didn't say not to ban it. I said that if, as the experts said, they don't know anything about it, they should find out THEN issue recommendations. Anecdotal evidence means nothing. The list of potential side effects is no different from the list of side effects that you can find on common over-the-counter medicines. All of the reports are replete with words like reportedly this and might do that. With other banned compounds the experts know what the effects are.
J Caruana
Dec 31st 2009, 00:57
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/02/mephedrone_madness/
"Durham police are finding out the hard way about the power of the internet to mislead, distort and amplify, as a relatively measured warning about a legal high gallops towards Snopesian urban myth status as the tale of a drug that makes you rip your bollocks off with your bare hands."
"In this instance, it would appear that Durham Police have little to apologise for – except, perhaps being a little too trusting of a local hack. However, mephedrone as the bollock-rippers' drug seems now destined to enter the Drug Horrors Hall of Fame, along with the effects of PCP (cutting off own face to feed to dog) and LSD (staring at the sun until you go blind). Be careful out there, kids."
Galea. L
Dec 30th 2009, 22:02
LinosDarmanin
My posting highly irresponsible and criminal when the posting by Miguel Micallef could have been understood the way I understood it? I have no problem in accepting Miguel's intention that it was not what he meant and that the report was false and do not doubt it. But what is wrong even if I misunderstood him to give warnings to anyone who reads these comments to be aware of the danger if they gaze at the sun? How about those who seem to regard this new drug as not meriting being banned? Are they not acting in an irresponsible and criminal manner Louis?
JacquiGatt see my comments above. Which article holds no facts, the one referred to by Mr Micallef or The Times one? If The Times how come it has already been banned in Israel, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland while other countries are also planning to make it illegal? Read the last paragraph of the report Jacqui. Does it have to kill people in Malta to be banned?
The Government must act now and issue the necessary Legal Notice to ban the drug so that no one would escape punishment.
R Axisa
Dec 30th 2009, 21:42
It should be banned with immediate effect, no questions asked. Better safe than sorry.
Robert Zammit
Dec 30th 2009, 21:17
Does it make sense to sensationalise the issue to such an extent - given the doubtful evidence on the scrotum ripping story?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/02/mephedrone_madness/
christine amaira
Dec 30th 2009, 21:07
Following article refers to death of 14 year old using this drug
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Fourteen-Year-Old-Gabrielle-Prices-Death-Natural-Not-Due-To-Legal-High-Drug-East-Sussex-Police-Say/Article/200912315501782?lid=ARTICLE_15501782_Fourteen-Year-OldGabriellePricesDeathNaturalNotDueToLegalHighDrug,EastSussexPoliceSay&lpos=searchresults
martin saliba
Dec 30th 2009, 18:21
If there are countries that have allready banned this drug and others who are planing to ban it, the Maltese goverment should at least ban it tempoaraly until more is know about it. The promlem is that our goverments only act after they have blood on their hands.
Manuel Mangani
Dec 30th 2009, 17:41
We are not completely ignorant about mephedrone: It is clearly closely related to a number of drugs whch we know can cause serious harm. What is known about it has prompted the goverrnments of 4 Scandinavian countries to ban it. Prof. Muscat's suggestion that it should be banned forthwith makes sense.
Miguel Micallef
Dec 30th 2009, 17:28
Galea L, yes I can exclude that it happened because the original source of the story admitted that it was fake news created as anti LSD propaganda during the years when the US was trying (and in fact using such techniques managed) to make LSD illegal (even though they experiment with it themselves, even on unknowing civilians). If it happened there would be records and we could read about it. However it hasn't. If it had, I would say it had. I have no interest in inventing stories. What's wrong and bad is wrong and bad but what's not is not.
MBorg
Dec 30th 2009, 17:27
@ Jesmond Micallef "Why do I get the impression that there is a Drug War going on ?" You are right it is only an impression of a Drug War. We should have a real war against drugs in this country ,Kids and older people, who should know better ,are ruining their lives and that of their families because of the casual attitute some have about drugs. "These types of drugs destroy nerve cells " Knowing this are there people stupid enough to play about with it ?
E. Azzopardi
Dec 30th 2009, 17:00
Yes, if it is dangerous and have been proven to cause deaths, then YES make it illegal and the sooner the better. But probably . like many other actions, this one will also be in "slow motion".
Jacqui Gatt
Dec 30th 2009, 16:51
@ Galea L
Your comment is completely out of point.
The story here is about a legal substance which can be purchased over the internet and not about sunrays. 'The staring at the sun makes you blind' part in a previous comment was a figure of speech used to explain that this article holds no facts - since the drug is untested there is no way to tell how harmful it actually is.
Lino s Darmanin
Dec 30th 2009, 16:50
@Galea. L
I think you misunderstood, Miguel was clearly saying that nobody ever stared at the sun becasue of LSD, not that staring at the sun can not make you blind.
Galea, I consider your posting about Miguel's comment as highly irresponsible if not criminal as people reading your comment may look at Miguel's comment and also misunderstand it.
Galea. L
Dec 30th 2009, 16:46
Miguel Micallef
The impression that your comment gave is that when someone gazes at the sun he will come to no harm. Nowhere did I say that the event you posted had really happened, but pointed out to the danger of looking at the sun. On the other hand, can you really exclude that it had happened?
S.Borg Laugh away Borg. Many did that many times and were later very sorry for having laughed at warnings.
Miguel Micallef
Dec 30th 2009, 16:35
Galea L, another thing is that if you thought that what I said was criminal, why dont you say that to the pope who recommends that all aids infected ppl in africa DONT USE CONDOMS?!?!?!?
Miguel Micallef
Dec 30th 2009, 16:30
Galea L, you amaze me. You cannot even understand basic concepts of what I am saying?
I am not saying that nothing happens if you gaze at the sun, but that the story was an urban legend. No boy ever took LSD and gazed at the sun. Get it now?
Hahaha.
S.Borg
Dec 30th 2009, 16:22
hahahaha MAKE THE SUN ILLEGAL!!!!!!!!
Paul Cave
Dec 30th 2009, 15:58
for goodness' sake wake up, people! This country is awash with drugs and your police force and government are doing very little to stop them coming in.
Galea. L
Dec 30th 2009, 14:51
2.
But perhaps if you do not want to go to all the trouble of reading the material I referred you to you may just ask any welder who have had a few flashes while welding and he will tell you how they feel.
You may also try to focus the sun's rays on you hand with a small lens. What you will be doing is to concentrate the rays of the sun from the size of the lens to the small spot on your hand. It hurts doesn't it? Perhaps then you will start to realize the danger of looking at the sun with your eyes.
Galea. L
Dec 30th 2009, 14:49
Adrian Allain
It wouldnt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrotum
...The scrotum is homologous to the labia majora in females.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labia_majora
Miguel Micallef
"They are all anti hallucinogen propaganda, myths, like the kid who became blind because he stared at the sun while tripping on LSD."
Miguel, I consider your posting that gazing at the sun as highly irresponsible if not criminal as people reading your comment may look at the sun without any protection.
If you are so sure why don't you go stare at the sun? But perhaps you should first have a look at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sungazing
http://www.erowid.org/references/refs_view.php?A=ShowDocPartFrame&ID=6317&DocPartID=5884
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunspot Scroll down to slightly more than half the page "Since looking directly at the Sun with the naked eye permanently damages vision,..." Also see warning further down on the page.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/sunspots/history2.html
Miguel Micallef
Dec 30th 2009, 12:43
You are all ignoring the 'reportedly' before 'ripped off his scrotum'.
People 'reportedly' dig their eyes out, try to fly from 15 storey buildings, kill everyone around them etc.. while on hallucinogens.
Truth is, none of this ever happend. Do your research. They are all anti hallucinogen propaganda, myths, like the kid who became blind because he stared at the sun while tripping on LSD.
Anyway, I do agree that such chemicals be banned whoever we must first legalize marijuana and mushrooms. As long as these are illegal, people will use dangerous substitutes made in labs.
Adrian Allain
Dec 30th 2009, 12:14
@Jonathan Schembri
People will always draw their own conclusions to suit their own agenda.
"someone actually tore his scrotum". The sensible conclusion that may be drawn in this case is that it is therefore safe for females!
A. Saliba
Dec 30th 2009, 12:09
"See, that's the whole point of being the government. If you don't like something, you simply make up a new law that makes it illegal."
Christian Sciberras
Dec 30th 2009, 12:03
Ramon Casha - How about people in parties get served radioactive waste, speaking of unknown side-effects?
I think I've made the point clear enough.
Joe E Galea
Dec 30th 2009, 11:54
Just with a simple google search I learnt the following:
1) Bubbles are not always composed of the same drug cocktail
2) However the main chemical is Mephedrone
3) Then with Mephedrone there are some mixed with MDMA, ecstacy and cocaine. Some have also heroine in them, and since they are not always fo the same mixture, it is dangerous as they might contain God knows what.
4) Imagine having a cocktail of ecstacy, cocaine, mephedrone and also heroine. The effect depends on a personal basis depending on the body reaction and toleration to drugs.
The problem with these drugs is that they can be highly addictive.
Jonathan Schembri
Dec 30th 2009, 11:51
Ramon, knowing that someone actually tore his scrotum is enough to draw some sensible conclusions... I guess.
Jesmond Micallef
Dec 30th 2009, 11:50
Why do I get the impression that there is a Drug War going on, in addition to the Cyber War, and the Terrorist War, the Cultural War ??
M. Debono
Dec 30th 2009, 11:33
@ Ramon Casha
Do you want to be the giunea pig to test it on??
Or are you happy that adoloscents test it first!!!
Are you serious!!!!!!
If you read the article, there were already deaths associated with it, and what about the guy who ripped off his own scrotum?? Aren't the above enough to ban it? Why should we wait for further tests??
C.Borg
Dec 30th 2009, 11:29
@ Ramona..... Legal Highs which resemble hard drugs such as cocaine cannot be checked as as soon they are and qualify as illegal , the producer will change a small part of their chemical formula and could be legal again.
For more info watch this interesting doc : Can I Get High Legally?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ljxk3
Maybe someone needs to consider the legality of non harmful plants which are illegal :) It will be more safe to check and control something that has been existing for millions of years and killing no one rather than something which can be altered by anyone. This documentary will teach you a lot about these dangers.
D. Pulis
Dec 30th 2009, 11:22
There can be no retroactive criminal, however Mr Marsden was kept for 12 months in detention for importing what was a legal substance at the time. GREAT COUNTRY, SIR
CFarrugia
Dec 30th 2009, 11:21
what are the authorities waiting for?
ban it immediately
Dr Muscat was right, if it is not banned, dealers will not even be able to be kept in jail and will have to be released. and at the same time our youth is ruining its nerve cells and risking to become a psychiatric case. In a psychiatric clinic, I have seen youths who ruined their lives and became psychotic because they took some drug mixture, especially with alcohol. Even marijuana can induce psychotic problems in persons who are especially vulnerable or have a predisposition to psychiatric illnesses.
Ramon Casha
Dec 30th 2009, 11:03
"But, even more so, with something like Mephedrone... because we don't know anything about it."
How about finding out about it first, then coming up with recommendations?