Legal New Drug 'Meow Meow' Could Have Been What Killed Six Youths At FMFA
Substance abuse specialist Dr Mahmud believes a dangerous new party drug could be on the prowl. It wasn't drug overdose that killed six youths at Future Music Festival Asia, he says.
By Mei Mei Chu — 24 Mar 2014, 12:41 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
A New Party Drug Called Mephedrone May Have Been The Cause Of Six Deaths At The Recent Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA)
A New Party Drug Called Mephedrone May Have Been The Cause Of Six Deaths At The Recent Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA)
Image via theantdaily.comA new party drug that is still legal may have caused the death of six youths at the recent Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA) concert.
thestar.com.myDrug Abuse Specialist Dr Mahmud Mazlan Does Not Believe The Deaths Were Due To Drug Overdose As Reported In The Media
Dr Mahmud Mazlan, who runs 10 clinics specialising in drug abuse treatment, said he felt the deaths were not due to drug overdose as widely reported. It was more likely caused by mephedrone, a party drug used recently in the West, which caught on in Jakarta since last year, he said.
thestar.com.myAlso Known As Meow Meow, Bath Salts Or Fertilisers, Mephedrone Is A Psychoactive Drug That Produces Similar Emotional And Socials Effects To Those Of Ecstasy
Mephedrone Is A Psychoactive Drug That Produces Similar Emotional And Socials Effects To Those Of Ecstasy
Image via walesonline.co.ukStreet names for mephedrone include MMCAT, Meow Meow, 4MMC, plant food, drone and meph while the websites selling it in Kuala Lumpur call it Bath Salt or Fertiliser.
Mephedrone, also called 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC), or 4-methylephedrone is a synthetic stimulant. A stimulant is a psychoactive drug which induces temporary improvements in mental and/or physical function. Mephedrone is an entactogen drug - a class of psychoactive drugs that produce distinctive emotional and social effects, similar to those of Ecstasy (MDMA).
medicalnewstoday.com
The drug comes in a white, off-white or yellowish powder that is usually snorted. Mephedrone can also come in pill or capsule form.
Side Effects From Consuming Mephedrone Includes Excessive Sweating, Nausea, Severe Panic Attacks, Hallucinations And Paranoia
According to a survey by Mixmag, a dancing and clubbing magazine:
- 67% of users experienced hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
- 51% of users experienced headaches
- 43% of users experienced heart palpitations
- 27% of users experienced nausea
- 15% of users had blue or cold fingers
medicalnewstoday.com
Non-survey (anecdotal) reports indicate mephedrone may have the following effects on some users:
- Severe panic attacks
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
medicalnewstoday.com
Meow Meow has been blamed for an incident in the United Kingdom, where an unnamed 19-year-old student stabbed his mother and cut off his own penis inside his home, the Mirror reported.
Dr Mahmud's Patients Have Confirmed That Mephedrone Is Being Sold In Malaysia
An online search found a number of Kuala Lumpur-based advertisements selling the substance.
Image via imgur.comDr Mahmud also said his patients had confirmed to him that the drug, reported to have caused several deaths in the West, had already reached Malaysian shores and was being freely marketed online.
An online search found a number of Kuala Lumpur-based advertisements selling the substance. Peddlers and users are also believed to be actively promoting it via social media.
Easier and cheaper to make than methamphetamine, it can come in the form of a capsule or powder to be taken orally or snorted. As of last year, it was being sold at about RM75 (S$29) for 20gm.
Mephedrone Is One Of The Most Popular Drug At Rave Parties Due To Its Stronger Effect. It Is Fourth Most Popular Street Drug In The UK.
Mephedrone Is One Of The Most Popular Drug At Rave Parties Due To Its Stronger Effect.
Image via news.com.auIt is also learned that both mephedrone and Eramin-5 have overtaken ecstasy as the two most popular drugs at rave parties as these have a stronger effect.
thestar.com.myIn 2009 mephedrone became the 4th most popular street drug in the United Kingdom, after marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy. Mephedrone is informally known as meph, MCAT, bubbles and drone. The UK tabloid press sometimes refers to it as meow, miaow, meow-meow, or miaow-mioaw.
medicalnewstoday.com
Users of mephedrone say it raises: alertness, restlessness, euphoria, excitement, the urge to talk, openness, sex drive, gives a feeling of stimulation. Some say it makes them feel more confident, talkative and alert. The effects of mephedrone, like cocaine, seem to last about an hour before wearing off.
medicalnewstoday.com
Although This Party Drug Is Banned In More Than A Dozen Countries, It Is Still Legal In Malaysia
Although This Party Drug Is Banned In More Than A Dozen Countries, It Is Still Legal In Malaysia
Image via dailymail.co.uk“More than a dozen countries have banned this party drug because of the fatalities it caused. What happened at the festival appeared to be similar to mephedrone-related deaths reported in the West,” he said. Mephedrone is still legal in Malaysia because it has not been gazetted under the Dangerous Drugs Act despite the number of fatalities reported overseas.
thestar.com.my“Urine and blood tests currently used by authorities are not able to detect mephedrone precursors. So, authorities tend to mistake it for methamphetamine. “Mephedrone and other designer drugs can also go undetected in urine tests if they are taken with synthetic cannabis,” said Dr Mahmud.
thestar.com.myAccording To Dr Mahmud, Blood Tests From The Deceased Youths At FMFA Did Not Show High Drug Dosages
A New Party Drug Called Mephedrone May Have Been The Cause Of Six Deaths At The Recent Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA)
Image via clubbing9ine.comDr Mahmud said his sources also confirmed blood tests did not show high drug dosage.
"Different people react differently to mephedrone. Most users will experience the normal effects but depending on their susceptibility, instant death can happen. The user may collapse and die even with a low dosage.
They Could Have Also Taken Designer Drug "Tab" Or It Could Be Their First Time Taking Drugs
It was also reported that the deaths could be due to one of the many new deadly “imported” designer drugs, one of which – “Tab” – only takes 10 minutes to knock out someone’s vital systems.
thestar.com.my"They can be novices taking the drug for the first time, " he said, adding that most deaths occurred when mephedrone was taken with either ketamine, cannabis or alcohol.