Is Meow Meow the new ecstasy?

I wanted to share some thoughts on a recent news article I ran across thanks to DoseNation. Its on Mephedrone (2-methylamino-1-p-tolylpropane-1-one) A.K.A. 4-MMC, 4-methylephedrone or Meow Meow from an online article on the UK Times Newspaper website. Its a good example of how many inaccuracies are commonly found in media coverage on the subject of “drugs”. Blatant fear mongering. Why? Simple, fear captures attention and for news corporations attention is revenue. Notice how the author repeatedly mentions risks to young people and that this obscure chemical is most likely in your neighborhood causing 14 year old girls to die and for boys to rip their scrotum's off. Emotional terrorism, playing on parents fears just to sell copy and perpetuate drug stereotypes by attempting to scare readers into believing their children are in imminent danger by some mysterious new drug. This type of reporting only exacerbates the typical propaganda used in the failed war on drugs, when what’s needed is factual information to educate the public and reduce harm.

The sensationalized title, "Is Meow Meow the new Ecstasy? Meow Meow is easily, and legally, bought over the Internet where it is advertised as plant food". Is going to cause many people (mostly young people) to rush out and buy some before its too late. Even stating that it is sold as plant food on the Internet right in the subtitle then mentions that it will soon be illegal. Back to facts, so many inaccuracies and exaggerations only further proves that all supposedly unbiased reporting must be seriously questioned and examined prior to accepting any of it as fact. The MSM lacks the vocabulary to properly describe what they pitch as a new drug threat. According to them, usually everything is comparable to either MJ, XTC or LSD. This is not only completely false, but it influences young people and/or the under informed to seek these compounds out to experiment with as legal alternatives when in reality research chemicals could potentially have far more severe side effects then the familiar illegal substances they are being compared to.  Even worse they have minimal history of human use and often little to no clinic or scientific research proving they are safe to use. The complete opposite can also be true. Many psychoactive substances which are commonly found online and are in danger of being made illegal are safer then alcohol or tobacco and can be beneficial to the user. As is the case with most Ethnobotanicals. One good example is Kratom which is an extremely effective analgesic comparable in effect to some opiate based medications only it is NOT addictive and is less toxic then Tylenol. It is also successfully used to reduce the effects of opiate withdrawal, helping END addiction for many. Why demonize and propagandize against the non-culturally sanctioned psychoactive substances (everything except alcohol, sugar, tobacco, TV & caffeine)? That's too big of topic for discussion here and now. Enough of my thoughts on this article. Lets get to the important question. Has anyone tried this and is it any good? What are the real dangers / side effects? I haven't even heard of it until this article came out =o)

Be smart, be safe...Thanks to: Jonathan & DoseNation!

From: DoseNation

Meow Meow (mephedrone) is easily, and legally, bought over the internet where it is often advertised as plant feed. When taken as a tablet, or snorted as a powder, it gives a similar high to Ecstasy and abuse has taken off in the UK over the past couple of years.

The drug is likely to be one of the first items on the agenda for Professor Les Iversen, the Government's new drugs czar. Other "legal highs" such as BZP (a derivative of a worming agent) and GBL (paint stripper) have now been reclassified as Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act, but mephedrone -- and a similar drug, salvia or "herbal ecstasy" (the leaves of the Mexican plant Salvia divinorum)-- are now under review...
Users of Meow Meow report an amphetamine-type euphoria that comes with mental and physical stimulation, talkativeness and feelings of empathy. Physical changes include dilated pupils, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, flushing and goose bumps... most don't report any significant hallucinations.

The effects start to become noticeable within half an hour of taking a tablet or within a couple of minutes of snorting the drug and last for anything up to four hours (less if snorted).

The downside includes a strong desire to take more, rapid changes in body temperature (sweating or chills), paranoia, palpitations, panic attacks and muscle spasms. A hangover the next morning tends not to be too much of a problem and it is not known whether Meow Meow is addictive -- although a number of cases have started to trickle through into NHS drug treatment centers.

» The complete article is at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/expert_advice/article6989754.ece

More info is available at

Erowid Information / Experiences

Wikipedia