Suspected and Confirmed Fatalities Associated With Mephedrone (4-Methylmethcathinone, “Meow Meow”) in the United Kingdom
Fabrizio Schifano, John Corkery, A. Hamid Ghodse
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology August 25, 2012 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e318266c70c via OpenAlex
Summary
Mephedrone, a popular recreational stimulant, has been linked to fatalities in the United Kingdom. Analysis of 62 concluded inquest cases from the UK National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths database shows that typical victims were young (average age 28.8 years), male, and had a history of drug misuse. A notable 29% of deaths involved self-harm, with 11 of those 18 cases resulting from hanging. Mephedrone alone was identified at postmortem in 13% of cases. The findings suggest caution when using mephedrone, though the exact risks remain unclear.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Descriptive analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 62 |
| Population | Individuals in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man whose deaths were alleged to be mephedrone-related and whose inquests were concluded |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Mephedrone Recreational drug Medicine Stimulant |
| Citations | 113 |
| Key finding | Mephedrone-related deaths in the UK predominantly involve young males with a history of drug misuse, and a substantial proportion involve self-harm. |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: International media have been reporting about fatalities allegedly related to mephedrone, a popular recreational stimulant, but now a proportion of them have been confirmed. We aimed here at analyzing information relating to the circumstances of mephedrone-related deaths in the United Kingdom. METHODS: Descriptive analysis of information was mainly extracted from the UK National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths database. With an average annual response rate of 95%, UK National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths receives information from coroners on drug-related deaths among both addicts and nonaddicts in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. RESULTS: So far, 128 alleged mephedrone-associated fatalities have been reported; mephedrone was identified at postmortem in 90 cases; inquests have been concluded in 69 cases, 62 of which are analyzed here. Typical mephedrone victims were young (mean age, 28.8 years), male, and with a previous history of drug misuse. There was a notable number (18 cases [29%], 11 being from hanging) of deaths involving self-harm. Mephedrone alone was identified at postmortem on 8 occasions (13% of the inquests' sample). CONCLUSIONS: Present mortality data may suggest a significant level of caution when ingesting mephedrone. Limitations include an inability to determine the exact extent of risks associated with mephedrone consumption.