Mephedrone is a synthetic cathinone derivative and a substance with psychostimulant effects, similar to amphetamines, cocaine and MDMA. It affects cardiovascular function, perception and emotions and also has a hallucinatory effect.

It can come as a fine white powder, in an off-white or yellow crystal-like form that can be broken down into powder, or as a mustard- or custard-coloured cream. The ranges in colour are mainly subject to its constitution. Its smell is described as bad and its taste as metallic.

It is used by snorting, swallowing (bombing) or slammed, as well as in pills or capsules, smoked or rectally (booty bump). A moderate dose, orally taken, takes approximately half an hour to come to effect, and the effect lasts for about 3 to 4 hours. Snorting and slamming work a lot faster. When slamming, it is described that there is a sudden strong rush after the injection before the high.

Street names include Meph, 4MMC, Kitty Cat, M-Cat, Food Plant, Bubbles, Crubs, Meow- Meow and Drone.

Effects

  • sense of euphoria
  • alertness
  • confidence
  • sexual arousal and focus
  • affectionate emotions
  • a sense of connection to others
  • high attention, sometimes becoming obsessive

Potential physically harmful effects include:

  • dehydration
  • sweating
  • teeth grinding and jaw clenching
  • changes in body temperature
  • muscle twitching
  • vertigo
  • headaches
  • changes in blood pressure
  • pain and injuries in throat and nose

Harmful psychological effects include:

  • anxiety
  • hypervigilance
  • dizziness
  • paranoia
  • craving to redose (especially in slamming)
  • loss of short term memory
  • insomnia

Overdose, which is more probable if slamming is used, includes:

  • convulsions
  • tachycardia
  • fever
  • may be lethal, mainly by causing a heart attack

Long term use consequences

  • Mainly psychological dependence.
  • Tolerance develops rather quickly and causes craving for larger doses and abuse, which, in turn, leads to a number of other harmful effects.
  • For people with dependence, the positive effects of mephedrone turn into mood swings, aggressive behaviour and psychotic symptoms. These can be similar to crystal methamphetamine induced psychosis, which includes auditory, olfactory and tactile hallucinations.
  • Long-term use of mephedrone causes exhaustion due to insomnia, lack of food and dehydration, especially over long periods of use.
  • Calcium disturbances in the body and teeth grinding due to mephedrone can bring about dental problems, while chronic blood pressure dysregulation can cause heart damage, stroke and visual issues.

Mixing with prescribed medication and other substances

Mephedrone has a number of potentially dangerous effects if mixed or used in combination with a number of other recreational or medical substances.

  • Mixing mephedrone with other medication, especially psychiatric and in particular some anti-depressants, may be very dangerous.
  • Furthermore, mixing mephedrone with other psychoactive substances, especially other psychostimulants such as cocaine or crystal meth, may cause dangerous blood pressure and body temperature increases, as well as raising the probability of harmful side effects.
  • Mephedrone is often used in combination with G or other depressants. As noted earlier, this combination may lead to overdose from either substance.
  • Alcohol in particular should be avoided in combination with mephedrone, since this may cause an increase of the heart function, as well as a come down that is particularly difficult to deal with.

Harm reduction

Taking it slow

By starting mephedrone use with a smaller dose and repeating use at long enough intervals, craving for redosing is less likely as a side effect. Bigger doses do not increase the effect, they just make mephedrone last longer. Snorting is best limited to once every 20 minutes and swallowing to once every more than 40 minutes at least.

Weighing doses

Weighing doses is useful to avoid overdose. Doses over 80mg are very dangerous.

Ways to use mephedrone

It seems that the least harmful way to use mephedrone is orally, in which the high is achieved in about half an hour and lasts 2 to 3 hours. By snorting one may cause nasal damage, inflammation and bleeding which may be quite severe in some cases and increase the possibility of a blood borne infection being transmitted, if the equipment for use is shared. Slamming, besides other harmful effects related to intravenous use, is also more risky in regards to overdose. It may even be fatal.

Smoking

In case of using through smoking, the high is achieved rather quickly, but so is the come down. As a result, craving for a redose is very likely. It is advised not to smoke more frequently than every half hour.

Rinsing

It is advised to rinse the nose and the mouth after each use. This will protect the nose, the teeth and the inside of the mouth from corrosion caused by mephedrone and will protect the stomach from the toxicity that the substance will induce by helping the substance dissolve.

Nutrition

Eating nutritious food and drinking water is very important to protect the stomach in cases of oral use. Furthermore, it provides energy and helps avoid dehydration. Mephedrone makes you feel like you have a lot of energy, but actually it consumes the energy deposits of the body. Additionally, through the strong sweating side effect, one is very likely to be dehydrated and suffer problems. Rehydration is advised to be achieved by non-alcoholic beverages.

Cooling down

In case of overheating, it is useful to find a quiet and safe place to have a break. It could also be useful to remove some clothes or lower the body temperature by drinking cold water.

Protecting the eyes

If on mephedrone, it is also advised to wear sunglasses in order to protect the eyes from the pupil dilation that mephedrone causes, making them vulnerable to sunlight.

Keeping it short and sweet

Partying for over one to two consecutive days is quite dangerous. Insomnia can be very dangerous and likely to cause psychosis.