Several articles published near the end of 2011 examined the effects of mephedrone in the brains of rats, as well as examining the reinforcing potential of mephedrone. Dopamine and serotonin were collected using microdialysis, and increases in dopamine and serotonin were measured. Mephedrone administration caused about a 500% increase in dopamine, and about a 950% increase in serotonin. They reached their peak concentrations at 40 minutes and 20 minutes and returned to baseline by 120 minutes after injection.
Analysis of the ratio for dopamine and serotonin indicated mephedrone was preferentially a serotonin releaser, with a ratio of 1.22:1 (serotonin vs. dopamine). Additionally, half-lives for the decrease in dopamine and serotonin were calculated and found to have decay rates of 24.5 minutes and 25.5 minutes.
These findings show mephedrone induces a massive increase in both dopamine and serotonin, combined with rapid clearance. This increase in neurotransmitters provides an explanation for the euphoric and stimulating subjective effects induced by this experience. The rapid rise and subsequent fall of dopamine levels could also explain some of the addictive properties of mephedrone display in some users.
Almost nothing is known about the long-term effects of mephedrone due to its short history of its use.
In 2010, unconfirmed reports speculated about the role mephedrone has played in the deaths of several young people in the UK. By July 2010, mephedrone had been alleged to be involved in 52 fatalities in the UK, but detected in only 38 of these cases. Of the nine that coroners had finished investigating, two were caused directly by mephedrone. The first death reported to be caused by mephedrone use was that of 46-year-old who had underlying health problems and repeatedly injected the drug. A report in Forensic Science International in stated mephedrone intoxication has been recorded as the cause of death in two cases in Scotland.
It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this drug.
In December 2010, the European Council decided that mephedrone shall be subjected by the Member States to control measures and criminal penalties.
Australia: Mephedrone has been added to the Australian federal drug watch list and is now considered illegal if intended for human consumption. Mephedrone is considered a Schedule 9 prohibited substance in Australia under the Poisons Standard . A Schedule 9 substance is a substance which may be abused or misused and the manufacture, possession, sale or use of is prohibited by law except when required for medical or scientific research, or for analytical, teaching or training purposes with approval of Commonwealth and/or State or Territory Health Authorities.
Austria: Mephedrone is illegal to possess, produce and sell under the SMG (Suchtmittelgesetz Österreich) as of August 21, 2010.
Belgium: Mephedrone was banned on April 29, 2010, by making it a regulated drug requiring the approval of the Ministry of Human Health to import, sell, or possess.
Brazil: Mephedrone was added to the list of Scheduled drugs (class F2), making it illegal to possess, sell, or manufacture without a license as of August 2011.
China: Mephedrone is a Category I psychotropic substance as of September 1, 2010. It is illegal to sell, buy, import, export, and manufacture it.
Croatia: Mephedrone is a controlled substance as of January 12, 2010.
Denmark: Denmark's Minister for Health and Prevention Jakob Axel Nielsen banned mephedrone, flephedrone and ethylcathinone on December 18, 2008. As of July 1, 2012, Denmark also created a type of analogue law that would include cathinones like mephedrone
Estonia: Mephedrone is a controlled substance as of November 2009.
Finland: Through the Medicines Act, mephedrone is classified as a "medicinal product", making it illegal to manufacture, import, possess, sell, or transfer it without a prescription.
France: French Ministry of Health decided in early June 2010 to add mephedrone to the list of illicit substances in the "Journal Officiel du 11 juin 2010".
Germany: Mephedrone is controlled under Anlage I BtMG (Narcotics Act, Schedule I) as of January 22, 2010. It is illegal to manufacture, possess, import, export, buy, sell, procure or dispense it without a license.
Guernsey: Mephedrone is a Class B controlled substance as of April 16, 2010.
Hungary: Mephedrone is a List 1 controlled substance as of January 1, 2011.
Isle of Man: It is illegal to import or sell mephedrone since February 2010.
Ireland: Mephedrone is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as of May 11, 2010.
Israel: In December 2007, mephedrone was added to Israel's list of controlled substances, making it illegal to buy, sell, or possess.
Italy: Mephedrone is a Tabella I controlled substance.
Jersey: Mephedrone is a Class C controlled substance since December 2010.
Lithuania: Mephedrone is a controlled substance as of June 20, 2010.
Mexico: Mephedrone is a Schedule I controlled substance as of January 7, 2014.
The Netherlands: In March, 2010, the Dutch Ministry of Health and the Medicines Authority IGZ informed the Ministry of Justice that they now consider mephedrone an unregulated medicine; sales and distribution of it are now prohibited.
Norway: The "Derivatbestemmelsen" is an Analog Act-type law in Norway that controls mephedrone, Bk-MBDB, Bromo-DragonFLY, 1,4-Butanediol, GBL, and MBDB.
Poland: On August 25, 2010, mephedrone was added to the list of controlled "psychotropic drugs" in the I-P group.
Romania: Mephedrone was added to Romania's list of controlled substances in February 2010.
Russia: Mephedrone is classified as List 1 in Russian Federation as of August 2010. This means it is illegal to manufacture, buy, possess, or distribute.
Slovak Republic: Starting March 1, 2011 mephedrone is controlled in the Slovak Republic.
Singapore: Mephedrone is a banned substance as of November 15, 2010.
Spain: Mephedrone is a Schedule I controlled substance as of February 10, 2011.
Sweden: In Sweden, the drug is classified as a health hazard. A ban on mephedrone went into effect on December 15, 2008, making its sale illegal. Use of 4-methylmethcathinone is not explicitly illegal under this regulation.
Switzerland: Mephedrone is a controlled substance specifically named under Verzeichnis D.
Turkey:** Mephedrone is a classed as drug and is illegal to possess, produce, supply, or import.
United Kingdom: Mephedrone is a Class B drug in the United Kingdom as a result of the cathinone catch-all clause.
United States: Mephedrone is currently a Schedule I drug in the United States. This means it is illegal to manufacture, buy, possess, or distribute (sell, trade or give) without a DEA license.
Responsible use
Stimulants
Cathinones
Amphetamine
MDMA
Cocaine
Mephedrone (Wikipedia)
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