Info

You are currently browsing the archives for the Drug Classifiaction category.

July 2010
M T W T F S S
« Jun    
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
Categories
Links

Archive for the Drug Classifiaction Category

Mephadrone just one of a new range of drugs

Twenty four new psychoactive drugs were reported to the official European monitoring centre during 2009, the largest number ever reported in a single year.

All the new drugs were synthetic compounds, and included 9 cannabinoid (cannabis) like substances.

The growth in synthesised drugs, side-stepping current legal restrictions to enable fast market and internet sales of “legal highs” seems to have been the growth trend of 2009 with a reduction in MDMA in tablets sold as E’s and substitution with Piperazine mCPP like substances.

As the UK moves to legislate to cover these developments, the market will move to traditional criminal production and supply chains associated with established drug groups.

There is still no test available for any of these new drugs, making screening and detection difficult.

Mephedrone ban tries to cover all variations

Under increasing pressure from the media, the UK government has introduced an amnesty for all mephedrone suppliers of existing stock and made the drug a class B substance.

The legislation attempts to cover all possible chemical variations and compound structures, which could have allowed a legal way round the ban. Mephedrone is now an illegal substance to possess, supply or import in the UK. Standard class B legal penalties apply upon charges brought by the police.

How Mephedrone will be treated and classified by Europe and the rest of the world remains unclear. It remains a legal chemical in many countries.

There is still no instant drug test for mephedrone available, making its use, problematic to detect or monitor.

Cocaine purity levels down to as low as 2% and the rise of Mephedrone

Reported purity levels of many drugs sold in clubs in the UK as Ecstacy and Cocaine are as low as 2% active drug.

Young users are suspected of switching to legal high drugs like Mephedrone, as they are perceived as safer, purer and better value.

Unfortunately the risks of Mephedrone are now being documented. Particularly of concern is very young users experimenting in unsafe environments such as parks, cemeteries etc, often in combination with alcohol Most are snorting (mephedrone is unpleasant to snort~ stinging) It can also be swallowed or smoked

Reported risks & side effects of Mephedrone include behaviour changes including paranoia, aggression and anxiety, some suspicions of dependency are developing with a recognisable withdrawl picture emerging.

The research backing up the professional and legal approach to these compounds is left playing catch up. There are estimated to be over 240 compounds being promoted as legal highs, with little data available on the pharmacology or even lists of the active constituents of the majority being available to health care providers and to date no simple means of detection for the majority of new compounds.

For more information on Mephadrone visit Drugscope

Cannabis reclassified from class C to class B drug

Cannabis was yesterday reclassified from a class C drug  to a class B drug

What does this reclassification of Cannabis mean ? 

Click here to read the opinion of Andy Hayman who was Assistant Commissioner for Special Operations at Scotland Yard in the Times online

Let us know your opinions

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is preparing to give its recommendation to the Home Secretary soon that Ecstasy be downgraded from Class A to Class B.

|