Students and youngsters are being warned about the dangers of ‘Bubble’, a relatively new drug that mixes fertiliser and amphetamines, after seven people were arrested at a Lancaster nightclub at the weekend.
Door staff at Lancaster’s Sugarhouse alerted police after compulsory searches on Friday night revealed seven students were carrying white powder.
The students were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and told officers they believed the substance to be ‘Bubble,’ the street name for Mephedrone. The substance has now been sent away for forensic analysis.
While it’s currently not illegal to possess Mephedrone – also known as ‘meow meow’ – under the Misuse of Drugs Act, it is illegal to sell it for human consumption, which is why it is often marketed as plant food.
Mephedrone usually takes the form of a white powder or crystals and can also be in tablet form or capsules containing the powder and has is known for creating feelings of euphoria, alertness, talkativeness and feelings of empathy in the user, but its known side effects include anxiety and paranoid states in some, convulsions, breathing problems, nose bleeds – and, in some cases, even death.
The drug is illegal in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Israel and psychiatrists are lobbying for it to be banned in the UK.
Last November, BBC News reported that police in Teesdale issued a warning about the drug after several youths fell ill after taking the drug. In December, the Daily Mail reported how 14-year-old Gabrielle Price had died after taking a suspected drug cocktail including Mephedrone at a house party in Brighton.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Gregson, Lancaster Police, said: “As is the case with all drugs which appear in powder form, Mephedrone lends itself to being ‘cut’ with other drugs.
“This means you can never know exactly what you are putting into your body.
“Mephedrone can cause very bad reactions when mixed with alcohol – people have died from taking this substance – and there’s the risk of paranoia and possible mental health problems in the long term.
“There is also the danger that young people may experiment with other forms of plant food in the belief that these will also have a euphoric effect.”
He added: “Aside from the health risks, if you are found to be carrying drugs you may be arrested and will be under investigation until it is determined exactly what that substance is. Mephedrone is currently not illegal, but that looks set to change, and a criminal record could impact heavily on your future.”