Meow meow or M-kat
Simon Cotton takes a look at those compounds that find themselves in the news or relate to our everyday lives
Are we talking about cats?
No. Meow meow is the latest 'party' drug, which has been linked to over 20 deaths in England and Scotland. Made in China and available as a white powder or tablets, its chemical name is mephedrone (1)- ie 4 methylmethcathinone. Don't confuse it with methadone, the drug used to treat opioid dependence, or with methedrine, another name for methamphetamine.
So it's an illegal substance?
It is illegal to possess or sell mephedrone in much of Scandinavia, Israel and the US. As a result of the fatalities, the same is now true in the Channel Islands and it is likely to be banned in the UK soon.
But why do people take it, and are there any other drugs like it? Simon Cotton explains.
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