Another person dies after taking 'legal drug' (Mephedrone)

Sykk

Woman, 24 'Dies after taking Mephedrone'

If you haven't been following this over the past while. Mephedrone is a legal drug that has killed an 18, 19 and now a 24 year old.

When are they gonna ban this? Seriously? That's 3 people now...

Story is in the link.

Oh well?

Auvers

I dont see any proof about mephedrone being the cause of anyones death, the only thing I see is knee jerk shoddy journalism

syklops

The story for those who dont like clicking on random links:

Woman, 24, 'Dies After Taking Mephedrone'

9:49am UK, Tuesday March 23, 2010

Damien Pearse, Sky News Online
A 24-year-old woman has died after apparently taking the legal "party drug" mephedrone, police have said.

A packet of meow or mephedrone

A packet of mephedrone, also known as 'meow meow' or 'M-Cat'

The woman, who has not been identified, was found dead at an address in Norton, near Malton, North Yorkshire, on Monday morning by a friend.

Detectives believe the woman may have taken mephedrone, also known as M-Cat or meow meow.

This latest tragedy follows the deaths of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19, who died in Scunthorpe last week following a night out.

North Yorkshire Police issued a stark warning about the dangers of the drug as it made an appeal for anyone who may have seen the victim in the last couple of days to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Costello said: "If you have used this drug and feel unwell then you should seek urgent medical assistance.

Louis Wainwright and Nicholas Smith

"If you possess this supposed legal substance then please hand it to the police or dispose of it safely.

"Although mephedrone is currently not classified as an illegal drug, people need to know that this substance is very dangerous and it is important that anyone who has taken it contacts their local GP or hospital immediately."


"If you possess this supposed legal substance then please hand it to the police or dispose of it safely.

"Although mephedrone is currently not classified as an illegal drug, people need to know that this substance is very dangerous and it is important that anyone who has taken it contacts their local GP or hospital immediately."

A post-mortem examination is due to be held in the next few days and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

Trashbat

How many people died on the roads last year? Should driving be banned?

Knee-jerk reactions to unstudied and misunderstood deaths shoudl be left for the pages of the daily mail.

PirateShampoo

Nothing about the amount of the stuff she took either.

ghostdancer

so how do you know it killed the 18 and 19 year old, and not the alcohol and methadone they also took?


the hysteria and ignorance around this whole thing really is astounding.

PeakOutput

looks like you are jumping to your own conclusions with no basis just like sky news are

Detectives believe the woman may have taken mephedrone

A post-mortem examination is due to be held in the next few days and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

so we will know in the next few days right now you know jack ****

finally it could well have been mephadrone and it could well be dangerous but studies need to be done not bannings

Sea Sharp

There are tonnes of detailed personal experiences with this drug on the net and I'm going to have to agree that this is a dirty drug.

Unless of course the 'personal accounts' I've read are just knackery trash-talk propaganda from UK government.

Either way, I'm not touching this with a 10ft pole.

ChemOC

The day after Paddy's Day I had a look at the RTE news website. There was an article on how two students from Mullingar were taken to hospital the next day after taking some legal highs. They felt faint and weak. Sounds like a hangover to me!

On the page there was not one article on the major alcohol abuse that occurred all over Ireland on Paddy's Day. Trust me Dublin was like a war zone by 2 o'clock. Just shows where people's fears are.

super_furry

One person a week dies in the US of alcohol poisoning.

Ickle Magoo

Woman, 24 'Dies after taking Mephedrone'

Detectives believe the woman may have taken mephedrone

Now, I'm no expert in journalism but the phrase "may have" appears to render the statement "dies after taking" completely made up?

orourkeda

Just say no

Jordan Berbatov

Sykk wrote: »

Woman, 24 'Dies after taking Mephedrone'

If you haven't been following this over the past while. Mephedrone is a legal drug that has killed an 18, 19 and now a 24 year old.

When are they gonna ban this? Seriously? That's 3 people now...

Story is in the link.

what 3 people? a whole 3 people? 3 people die a day from alcohol related incidents in Ireland, lets ban alcohol, and driving, and lets not sell knives, . . .or toasters

pickarooney

What does the cop mean by "supposedly legal"? Shouldn't police officers understand the concept of laws being black and white and not based on rumour and hearsay?

PeakOutput

no reply from the op i smell a troll

Max Power1

lots of people die yearly from nicotine/tobacco, alcohol and other such legal highs/drugs.

Will we ban cigarettes and alcohol too??

Lets ban cycling. Many cyclists are killed oin our roads. Hey when we are at it lets tear up the roads.. too many car crashes.

FFS shoddy rag tabloids at their best

Chairman Meow

Natural selection at work, folks

sbsquarepants

This same story appears over and over every time a new drug hits the scene. How many times does it have to be repeated before people spot the pattern. Fact is, NO drug, legal or otherwise is perfectly safe, but the fact that someone dies from something or in this case MAY HAVE POSSIBLY is not a reason to ban it, study/regulate yes, ban no.
My own mother could well be dead in 5 minutes if administered penicillin, doesn't mean it should be banned. Millions have died from alcohol and ciggarettes, should they be banned?
A few years ago it was ecstasy that was killing kids by the truck load, that turned out to be nonsense too. In fact statisticaly you are more likely to be killed by peanuts than ecstasy. I've yet to hear anyone on joe duffy call to ban peanuts or the evil kingpins who make millions from them. Use your f'ucking heads people

seamus

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

Now, I'm no expert in journalism but the phrase "may have" appears to render the statement "dies after taking" completely made up?

Pretty much.

Though in reality this is a new(ish) drug. Even those taking it regularly are unaware of the long-term effects, so the amount of research you can do on this is minimal. Those taking it at present should consider themselves guinea pigs and as such expect that there's a good likelihood that they're going to experience undocumented side-effects. Such as death.

GBH and the like, you can do your research, you can know what you should and shouldn't do, but Mephedrone, not so much.

I wouldn't be very quick to jump to the defence of an undocumented drug on the basis that alcohol kills one person per week in the US, for example. We know the hows and whys of avoiding dying from alcohol. We don't know the hows and whys of avoiding dying from Mephedrone.

Bonito

Oh dear me. Death by legal drug. Shocking. How many people die from alcohol poisoning a year? How many people die from O.D. on prescription medicines and drugs?

We should ban everything. Even sneezing. Someone could sneeze while driving and hit their head off the steering wheel and career in to a group of people on the pathway. They should be fined for sneezing while driving.

I am well aware of the case in England were a man was actually fined for sneezing while parked at traffic lights. I believe the offence was "Not being in full control of the vehicle.

RobbieTheRobber

I cant find stats for ireland but in America about 100 people a year die from nut allergies I for one am calling on the government to ban these killers!

Delirium

So you want to ban something here because of deaths in another country??

Ash.J.Williams

I suppose anything that can affect heart rate ie, drugs, coffee, exercise can in statistically rare circumstances cause sudden death, I guess people should know their own health and limits.

seamus

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

I cant find stats for ireland but in America about 100 people a year die from nut allergies I for one am calling on the government to ban these killers!

It works out to about 1 death per year here in Ireland.

However, you're not comparing like-for-like.

For all intents and purposes, every single person in this country consumes nuts, a derivative of nuts, or a product containing nuts, every day.

And one person per year dies. Sp that's a fatality rate of about 1 in 4 million - very rare.

However, not everyone takes mephedrone every day. How many people would die in a year if everyone consumed mephedrone every day? Or heroin? Or alcohol?

That's what you need to be looking at. Actual fatality numbers are irrelevant, it's the relative fatality rates that are important.

Korvanica

so all those people who took it and died were on a night out i assume. I wonder how much they drank...

Sykk

PeakOutput wrote: »

no reply from the op i smell a troll

Have been away for a few mins that ok with you?

The reason Smoking and Alcohol ain't banned even though they are related and in fact alot of the times the cause of deaths.. There's too much money to be made from it, so things like that are NEVER going to be banned..

Not to say that I don't drink or smoke myself, but you get the picture.

Korvanica

Sykk wrote: »

Have been away for a few mins that ok with you?

The reason Smoking and Alcohol ain't banned even though they are related and in fact alot of the times the cause of deaths.. There's too much money to be made from it, so things like that are NEVER going to be banned..

Not to say that I don't drink or smoke myself, but you get the picture.

theres money to be made in mephedrone too, and loads of other drugs... so they should all be legal, since theres money to be made then...

the only reason smoking and alcohol are legal is because they have been around for a LONG time (i agree with the money side too though)... so long that its almost impossible to make them illegal... just look at Prohibition sure..

Elevator

Sykk wrote: »

Woman, 24 'Dies after taking Mephedrone'

If you haven't been following this over the past while. Mephedrone is a legal drug that has killed an 18, 19 and now a 24 year old.

When are they gonna ban this? Seriously? That's 3 people now...

Story is in the link.

and how many have died since from alcohol, smoking tobacco, riding horses, parachute jumping, crossing the road???

your views do not help the situation one bit, what is your point?

cynder

Just because something is legal doesn't mean its safe. I've never taken anything to get high, i have no interest in getting high. If people are taking drugs to get high and they die its their own tough s**t. Shouldnt have been so stupid. Its the family i feel sorry for, they are the ones who feel the pain.

If the person is stupid enough to mess around with drugs then I dont give a s**t. You think people would have more 'cop on' these days insted of living for the buzz. There is more to life then getting high or drunk.

30txsbzmcu2k9w

I read in a newspaper about this guy complaining how his girlfriend's life was ruined by headshops.
Apparently she used to buy herbal stuff that you put in the bath.
She injected it in her groin. :rolleyes:

Now if you excuse me i'm going to chop up 12 'legal' solphedines and snort them till my nose bleeds. If i die someone blame the chemist for me will you?
good day.

Elevator

seamus wrote: »

It works out to about 1 death per year here in Ireland.

However, you're not comparing like-for-like.

For all intents and purposes, every single person in this country consumes nuts, a derivative of nuts, or a product containing nuts, every day.

And one person per year dies. Sp that's a fatality rate of about 1 in 4 million - very rare.

However, not everyone takes mephedrone every day. How many people would die in a year if everyone consumed mephedrone every day? Or heroin? Or alcohol?

That's what you need to be looking at. Actual fatality numbers are irrelevant, it's the relative fatality rates that are important.

look Professor Nutt in the UK already conducted a study looking at actual evidence of drug harm and he got the sack from a voluntary role cos he didn't toe the political line, dont make me laugh about rational thinking when it comes to drug fatalities

Elevator

Janiyah Hallowed Oak wrote: »

I read in a newspaper about this guy complaing how his girlfriend's life was ruined by headshops.
Apparently she used to buy herbal stuff that you put in the bath.
She injected it in her groin. :rolleyes:

Now if you excuse me i'm going to chop up 12 'legal' solphedines and snort them till my nose bleeds. If i die someone blame the chemist for me will you?
good day.

paper doesnt refuse ink, never heard such ****e in my life, if she has been injecting head shop drugs into her groin well then somebody put her out of her misery fast and forget about her

Bonito

Elevator wrote: »

look Professor Nutt in the UK already conducted a study looking at actual evidence of drug harm and he got the sack from a voluntary role cos he didn't toe the political line, dont make me laugh about rational thinking when it comes to drug fatalities

What?

Elevator

seamus wrote: »

Pretty much.

Though in reality this is a new(ish) drug. Even those taking it regularly are unaware of the long-term effects, so the amount of research you can do on this is minimal. Those taking it at present should consider themselves guinea pigs and as such expect that there's a good likelihood that they're going to experience undocumented side-effects. Such as death.

GBH and the like, you can do your research, you can know what you should and shouldn't do, but Mephedrone, not so much.

I wouldn't be very quick to jump to the defence of an undocumented drug on the basis that alcohol kills one person per week in the US, for example. We know the hows and whys of avoiding dying from alcohol. We don't know the hows and whys of avoiding dying from Mephedrone.

still doesnt help an awful lot of chronic alcoholics tho does it???

RobbieTheRobber

Bonito wrote: »

What?

linky
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8334948.stm

see its exactly as the poster said

Making riding illegal would completely prevent all these harms - this attitude raises the critical question of why society tolerates - indeed encourages - certain forms of potentially harmful behaviour but not others

David Nutt

dr.bollocko

Sykk wrote: »

Mephedrone is a legal drug that has killed an 18, 19 and now a 24 year old.

Prove it.


Meow meow?

Sticky_Fingers

Well OP we all have our own vices, mine are alcohol, tobacco and a little bit of weed once in a blue moon. You and the Joe Duffy brigade seem to be getting high on a far more insidious substance, the stench of your own moral indignation. Please for all our sakes get some help...

Also heres an article that points out the real villains in all this...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/22/charlie-brooker-newspapers-dangerous-drug

Now to find the cat and stamp on him so I can sell it to the kiddies

here kitty kitty kitty....

Wazdakka

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Meow meow?

+1

No self respecting drug person would name a drug Meow meow.

Bonito

Wazdakka wrote: »

+1

No self respecting drug person would name a drug Meow meow.

Maybe they O.D'd on catnip?

Sykk

Yeah because no one proved Asbestos caused disease and resulted in death's either until only a few years ago.. So lets keep the drug legal 'til it's proved to be lethal yeah? Good idea.

Bonito

Sykk wrote: »

Yeah because no one proved Asbestos caused disease and resulted in death's either until only a few years ago.. So lets keep the drug legal 'til it's proved to be lethal yeah? Good idea.

Again asbestos was a material people were around day in and day out. I don't think a massive amount of people are doing this meow meow malarkey day in and day out :rolleyes:

dr.bollocko

Sykk wrote: »

Yeah because no one proved Asbestos caused disease and resulted in death's either until only a few years ago.. So lets keep the drug legal 'til it's proved to be lethal yeah? Good idea.

Jaysus.

There's not even any point in starting with this type of argument.

Gingervitis

Charlie Brooker weighs in:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/22/charlie-brooker-newspapers-dangerous-drug

stovelid

orourkeda wrote: »

Just say no

I've always said no to the rags.

Nulty

Trashbat wrote: »

How many people died on the roads last year? Should driving be banned?

Knee-jerk reactions to unstudied and misunderstood deaths shoudl be left for the pages of the daily mail.

I don't know what part of this comment was thanked so many times but comparing "meow" and driving in terms of "things we can do without", is no contest.

What the hell is meow (i don't actually care) anyway? aren't there enough drugs to choose from? As for banning driving through comparison, well I'm unlikely to find a more ridiculous argument all day.

CiaranC

grindelwald wrote: »

Just because something is legal doesn't mean its safe. I've never taken anything to get high, i have no interest in getting high. If people are taking drugs to get high and they die its their own tough s**t. Shouldnt have been so stupid. Its the family i feel sorry for, they are the ones who feel the pain.

If the person is stupid enough to mess around with drugs then I dont give a s**t. You think people would have more 'cop on' these days insted of living for the buzz. There is more to life then getting high or drunk.

I love people like you. You're the best.

Bonito

CiaranC wrote: »

I love people like you. You're the best.

You're probably being sarcastic but that post right there is the nail on the head. You choose to mess around with that shít you deserve to face the music if/when the time comes.

That post is picture perfect, the poster has regarded the family's loss and they're the ones who would feel the anguish and grief if they lost a loved one to drugs.

Live by the sword die by the sword and all that.

Nulty

Really absurd arguments here. Gets me all worked up!

Whats the percentage death toll for alcohol consumption compared to meow?

I don't imagine that a fraction of alcohol users take meow. I'd say a much higher percentage of meow users die than alcohol. These are total guesses but it's better to have some perspective.

Royale with Cheese

Ha ha. Meow meow. Quality.

PeakOutput

Sykk wrote: »

Have been away for a few mins that ok with you?

no

The reason Smoking and Alcohol ain't banned even though they are related and in fact alot of the times the cause of deaths.. There's too much money to be made from it, so things like that are NEVER going to be banned..

nor should they be banned just like these legal highs shouldnt be banned

do you accept that the title of your thread and the title of the article are false as the evidence stands right now?

Not to say that I don't drink or smoke myself, but you get the picture.

ah right so people can only take the drugs you like?