First "Miaow" Death Recorded

AN East Lancashire teenager has been confirmed as the country’s first official victim of the newly illegal party drug Mephedrone.


Deaths had previously been linked to the drug, prompting it to be hastily banned. It later turned out that these deaths were not down to use of the drug. There followed heavy criticism of the speedy way in which the legislation was passed and the little evidence there was that the drug was dangerous.

So now we have the country's first "official" victim, I would assume that it has been proven that this drug killed her and that is what was recorded on her death certificate. I wonder...

Yesterday a coroner issued a strong warning about the dangers of the street drug, also known as ‘bubble’ and ‘meow meow’, following 19-year-old Rebecca Cardwell’s  death.

Burnley Coroner's Court heard Miss Cardwell died after taking a powder wrap of the drug with friends at a house in Hawley Street, Colne.

But the drug, which she and friends paid £25 for, had also been mixed with a small amount of two other party drugs and amphetamines, an inquest heard.

So was it the newly illegal mephedrone that killed her, the other small quantities of drugs in her system or the cocktail as a whole?

Recording an accidental verdict, East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor said he was satisfied that the teenager would not have realised the 'devastating' effects of the dose of 'bubble' which she took that evening.

Addressing her parents, he said: "I only hope that you may be able to take some solace from the hope that others may be dissuaded from taking these substances, which promise a euphoric result which is frequently, and quite often tragically, undelivered."

I would imagine that the resounding media hype and the following legislation that made the drug illegal would have completely the opposite effect of dissuading people. It is now a legitimate drug. Not just some herbal high rubbish.

Consultant pathologist Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud, who conducted Miss Cardwell's post-mortem examination, said the levels of mephedrone in her system were more than three times that normally taken for recreational use.
Dr Al-Dawoud said the drug caused increased heart rate and blood pressure and could cause chest pains, breathing difficulties and occasionally fits and convulsions.

Interesting the article says she died of acute liver failiure.

The pathologist said he also found levels of benzylpiperazine (BZP), trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) and amphetamines in her body and gave the cause of death as the toxic effect of all four substances.

Ah. All four substances. So do we really have the first death attributed to mephedrone or is it all just a clever wordplay? What are benzylpiperazine and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine anyway?

Benzylpiperazine
Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is a recreational drug with euphoric, stimulant properties. The effects produced by BZP are comparable to those produced by amphetamine. Adverse effects have been reported following its use including acute psychosis, renal toxicity, and seizures. No deaths have been reported following a sole ingestion of BZP, although there have been at least two deaths from the combination of BZP and MDMA.

Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine
3-Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) is a recreational drug of the piperazine chemical class. Usually in combination with its analogue benzylpiperazine (BZP), it is sold as a legal alternative to the illicit drug MDMA ("Ecstasy")

I'm no toxicologist but lets have a closer look at this.
No deaths recorded from mephedrone.
No deaths from BZP.
Two deaths from BZP mixed with MDMA.
Our victim had BZP and an MDMA substitute in her system. Plus mephedrone.

I'm not trying to contradict a medical examiner and this may seem like clutching at the proverbial straw, but to me this does not qualify for the country's first death at the hands of Miaow Miaow. Sorry, just saying.

PC Gary Hennighan said: “Until quite recently it was legal and a lot of young people were taking it.

With no deaths

“Now it is illegal there is still some young people who want to carry on and as such there is a market for it. We received some tip offs that that market was being supplied from the Mill Hill area."

There is a market and still no deaths yet the powers that be decide we cannot make up our own minds.

“One of the first raids in the country was in Blackburn, hours after the reclassification in April. It was a success and we’ve had one or two cases of possession since.”

No that's just taking the piss. Having a raid hours after reclassifying the drug.

According to the latest Government figures there have been no UK deaths where mephedrone was a main cause.

 Ahem....

The former ‘legal high’ was banned after being linked to the deaths of two teenagers, but toxicology tests later showed they had not taken the drug.

It was banned before the links could be proven and continued to be banned after they were, in fact, disproven. New Labour in a frenzy to push as much pap through the statute books as possible before being told where to go at the election.

The chemical substance was sold as plant fertiliser over the Internet before it was outlawed.
The Lancashire Telegraph was able to buy a £15 snap bag of the drug in a town centre shop before the ban.

I don't even know the reason for that last comment. The Lancashire Telegraph was able to buy a legal product in a shop? Whatever next? The LET at it's best, there.

There are only 3 comments on this story so far. Two about the dangers of taking this "awful" "addictive" "insidious" drug, and one about the dangers of prohibition. Spot the libertarian.