Mephedrone (aka 4-methylmethcathinone, M-CAT, Meow, Miaow, MCAT, 4-MMC) is a psychoactive stimulant.

In combination with Ketamine it's known as 'Milton Keynes', and in combination with Methylone it's sometimes known as 'Bubbles'.

Its intended effects are increased alertness, euphoria, excitement, feeling of stimulation, urge to talk, openness.

Its side-effects may include nose bleeds, nose burns, hallucinations, blood circulation problems, rashes, anxiety and paranoia, fits and delusions, poor concentration, poor short-term memory, tachycardia, palpitations, anxiety, depression, hyperhidrosis, mydriasis, trismus, and bruxism.

People on a comedown may exhibit tiredness, lethargy and/or depression, cravings, insomnia and anger.

Little or nothing is known about its long-term effects and its toxicity. There are reports of it being addictive and at least 2 deaths have been attributed to its usage in combination with other drugs (although post-mortems have failed to conclusively prove Mephedrone was to blame).

Mephedrone is NOT currently covered by the Misuse of Drugs (1971) Act (although I believe it's scheduled to be), but it IS an offense to sell it for human consumption.

Sleepyhead - do you work on CSI: Sheffield?

No he just Googled for it and then tries to show off that he is an intellectual!

Sounds like GAT (QUAT), the drug of choice for Sheffield's Somali, Yemeni and Ethiopian inhabitants. Basically it is 'Phet' that grows naturally and is imported to the UK in plant form and then chewed, the chemical structure of the 'phet' present in the plant is called 'cathinone'. 'M-Cat' is a derivative of this drug, although I've always known it to be called 'Jeff'.

Cathinone is illegal, yet MCat is not, nor is quat (the plant which contains cathinone). Look out for people with bulbous cheeks who spit a lot, they are probably chewing. Chewing quat is quite pleasant if you ask me.

Considering people are trying to refine a drug available (legally) in plant form into the pure crystalline powder (illegal), to then react it further to create a more potent form (legal), you have to question whether it is worth legislating against in the first place.

It is a well known fact that pharmaceutical drug companies make small chemical changes to drugs which are proven to be effective and which there is demand for/profit that are patented to avoid the patent, to improve the drug etc.
It is no surprise that such behaviour is replicated in illegal drug manfacture.

Drug law comes down to matter, and to be fair there should be no illegal drugs.

Ask yourself this, do you own the soil which you till, the plant that you grow, the drugs you extract from the plant, the subsequent drugs you create from the, should you be allowed to make such things for yourself, wheat, barley, oranges, fruit, beer, heroin, cannabis, GAT etc.

Should you only be allowed drugs when prescribed by a doctor who sees you but for all of 5 minutes befor prescribing. Shouldn't you not be allowed to make your own and self medicate. Must we drink THEIR water too! Are we not allowed to collect and boil etc. our own.

If you synthesise a new chemical, do you own it, does it own itself, is it government property, is it legal/illegal, for before you synthesised it didn't exist, or did it?
It

This article is tantamount to drug advertising, I'm now tempted to go down Burngreave for a big bag of Gat. At least it is legal eh ;)

for the record, quat is even illegal in Amsterdam!

"No he just Googled for it and then tries to show off that he is an intellectual!"

Not really - I don't give a hoot if you think I'm an intellectual or not.

OTOH I do give a hoot that the police & the Star stopped short of providing any meaningful information about this drug and resorted to bland "ooh you don't want to take that, sonny" statements. Seems rather silly when information about the drug's easily available, no?

Anyone who is stupid enough to take drugs of any discription deserves all he or she gets.
My own downfall is Bacon Butties, I dont need to mug old ladies for my kicks

I don't think you're an intellectual.