Lethal new legal drug found on the streets of Plymouth
POLICE in Plymouth are warning people about a 'legal' drug found in the city which has been implicated in the death of a Brighton teenager.
The warning follows the dramatic seizure of two-and-a-half kilos of suspected mephedrone on Friday afternoon at a Coxside flat.
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SEIZURE: Drug Liaison Officer Det Con Stuart Payne with cocaine and a powder suspected to be mephedrone
Drugs investigators have revealed they have made several small seizures of the drug found on young people in the city in the past few weeks.
Mephedrone is imported mainly from China and sold as a plant fertiliser online, although it is banned from being sold when advertised for human consumption.
Earlier this month youngsters from both Scotland and Teesdale were admitted to local hospitals after taking the addictive 'legal high'.
The drug has also been reported in other parts of the UK, including Brighton where 14-year-old schoolgirl Gabi Price suffered a cardiac arrest and died at the city's Royal Sussex County Hospital on November 21.
Plymouth police's Drug Liaison Officer Det Con Stuart Payne said the discovery of the drug in Plymouth was of great concern.
He said: "It has the same effects as Ecstasy and cocaine, but it does cause serious weight loss, paranoia and serious illness. It leads to soreness of the nasal tract and throat, stomach problems and sickness.
"Mixed with alcohol it could have a lethal effect, as we believe has happened recently in Brighton.
"We know it's being used by a lot of young people. It's not a banned drug as such as it hasn't been classified."
The drug has a host of 'street' names including 'meow meow', 'meph', 'bath salts', 'M-cat', 'bounce', 'mad cow' and 'bubble'.
The drug is illegal in Israel, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Psychiatrists in the UK have lobbied for it to be banned here.
Det Con Payne said officers had three confirmed cases of mephadrone seizures plus another four suspected seizures which were still being analysed.
If the latest seizure of two-and-a-half kilos of white powder at a flat in Lockyer Quay is confirmed as mephadrone, it will be the largest seizure of the drug in the South West to date.
Sold at between £10 to £15 a gram, the latest seizure could have a street value of anything between £25,000 and £37,500.
However, it is the health issue which most worries police.
Det Con Payne said: "We're warning people not to use it. It has been implicated in the death of a teenage girl in Brighton and another in Sweden.
"We want young people to be aware of the serious health problems and fatalities which arise out of the use of this drug.
"In addition, if you are found with such a drug on you by police, officers will arrest on suspicion of a controlled drug and you will bailed until it is analysed."
Comment – Page 10
Two men were arrested on suspicion of possession of one kilo of a class A drug cocaine at an address in Lockyer Quay and have been released on police bail until February 1.
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by marie, cornwall
Monday, January 25 2010, 12:29AM
“bounce has hit cornwall too anyone no if it is actually illegal yet? and by the way alot of girls using this drug have also ended up pregnant too. How odd!!”
by Cherry, Manchester
Wednesday, January 06 2010, 3:06AM
“You guys seriously need to get your facts right! Calling it 'bubble' is stupid because bubble is a different legal high altogether! It doesn't have any mephedrone in it at all!!!
And that 14-year-old schoolgirl Gabi Price - she had taken a load of ketamine with the meow and the autopsy showed it was the ket that killed her not meow!
Yeah I agree that drugs are nasty and everyone should look after their body more but the only reason something like this is getting everyone angry is because it's not the governments choice of drug.
Noone bats an eyelid at alcohol when it's the most harmful thing going! With evey drink you mess your liver up and if you keep going the only thing that can save you is a liver transplant!
Wise up and look at the statistics before you start bangging on about how bad the new things are when you probably go home and have a glass of wine with dinner!!!”
by Andrew, not telling you policio!
Wednesday, January 06 2010, 2:06AM
“1. people dont cut m-cat. its cheaper then chips
2. yes alcohol is a drug but its legal so you'll regret slaggin it off when it becomes illegal cos the government hate us to have fun
3. people drink too much and ruin their nights and people take too much drugs and ruin their nights. simple facts. you dont need much to have fun and be safe (safer)
4. bring back PROPER mdma and we wouldnt have this problem. atleast research has been done on this drug and we know more about it.
5. if you want to hold onto your wrap, write "not for human consumption" tell em its for your tomatoes and then your breaking no law. just dont tell them its for your weed plants ya naughty blighter
6. the term druggie is like calling someone who likes to have a few drinks while watchin the footballon a saturday an alcoholic. wise up ya loonies an chill out
7. i can still count to seven, coor blimey these drugs (including alcohol) cant be that bad ey?
x x x”
by anom, lancashire
Saturday, January 02 2010, 2:56PM
“to anyone reading this DO NOT TAKE THIS 'LEGAL' DRUG! I was stupid enough to try some, I'd never had it before & thought why not? I took a little bit and the next thing I remember was my friend saying my name & telling me the ambulance is coming I ended up in hospital & felt so out of it I'm seriously ashamed of myself. It is only now after researching on the internet I know I could of died I was unconsious & my heart was in overdrive I'm very lucky to be here & it was a serious wake up call. DON'T EVER MESS WITH YOUR LIFE. you only get one chance.”
by Concerned older sister, Midlands & north west
Saturday, December 05 2009, 9:59AM
“The stuff is all over the UK, my brothers are offered it every weekend when they go out in north west, i know so many people taking it here in the midlands. Something needs to be done about it being sold on the internet its not acceptable. Its scary to think about what drugs are doing to these kids brains they are guinea pigs, and will be cabbages in years to come!”