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 veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
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 ‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy 
#15304105 - 10/31/11 01:25 PM (6 months, 25 days ago) |
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‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy
October 31, 2011 - Science Alert
A researcher at the University of Sydney has discovered how the increasingly common street drug mephedrone affects the brain, helping to explain why it is potentially such an addictive substance.
A party drug also known by the street name 'meow meow', mephedrone works like a combination of methamphetamine (crystal meth or ice) and MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy), explains PhD student Craig Motbey.
He used an advanced technique to trace the effect of mephedrone on brain neurons. "When you look at the pattern of neurons activated by the mephedrone, it is as if the effect of ecstasy and the effect of methamphetamine on the brain's neurons had been laid on top of each other," he said.
"The findings confirm the anecdotal reports from mephedrone users that the drug combines the
euphoric, sociable effects of ecstasy with an addictive hook comparable to drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine."
The research, which has been published online in the journal Addiction Biology ahead of print publication, uses a technique called c-Fos, which tracks proteins in the brain that indicate which neurons were activated by mephedrone consumption.
The brains of rats which were dosed with mephedrone were compared to those that weren't, allowing researchers to detect which neurons were reacting to the drug.
"Mephedrone is similar to ecstasy but with a strong addictive component. Rats really like this drug, they'll spend hours working to get it," Motbey said.
Mephedrone is a relatively new recreational drug that has been available in Australia for approximately two years. It is already in widespread use in the UK and Europe, and is one of the so-called designer drugs created to circumvent bans on existing drugs.
Motbey's supervisor and co-author of the paper, Professor Iain McGregor, will lead a project that has just received $386,250 from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study mephedrone's effects on the brain in more detail, including the long term damage to users.
The work will be done in conjunction with Dr Adam Winstock at the UK National Addiction Centre, London, a leading authority on mephedrone.
"Mephedrone is one of the new breed of party drugs that are exploding in popularity around the world," said Professor McGregor, head of the University of Sydney's Psychopharmacology Laboratory.
"The evolution of party drugs is very rapid at present, and the chemistry behind them is often clever and devious. Scientists and health authorities must move urgently to define the psychological and physical dangers these drugs pose to young people."
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 acidlover123
Stranger
Registered: 05/24/11
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Re: ‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy [Re: veggie]
#15304621 - 10/31/11 03:39 PM (6 months, 25 days ago) |
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these articles make me wonder why the general public doesnt legalize the safer substances. Quote:
"Mephedrone is similar to ecstasy but with a strong addictive component"
if they legalize MDMA nobody would want mephedrone
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Meteloides
Clinically Expressed
Registered: 09/26/11
Posts: 2,185
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I think its funny how the news media assigned mephedrone the nickname "Meow Meow" and calls it that in every article. I have never, ever heard anybody refer to it as that. Even on the internet. Hahah.
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tizjack
Tizzy
 
Registered: 09/20/10
Posts: 587
Loc: Melbourne, Victoria 
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Re: ‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy [Re: Meteloides]
#15304975 - 10/31/11 05:08 PM (6 months, 25 days ago) |
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Haha i know what you mean man. Few years back on our Fox News-like channel in Australia there was a massive report about 'most dangerous rave drug in the world being manufactured and given to children called meow meow'. The next night i went raving specifically to look the drug and found it. baha
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nice1
Not the droid your looking for
Registered: 09/26/09
Posts: 9,125
Loc: earth
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Re: ‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy [Re: veggie]
#15305158 - 10/31/11 05:41 PM (6 months, 25 days ago) |
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Quote:
veggie said:
the chemistry behind them is often clever and devious"
lol
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Society
Society
Registered: 07/03/04
Posts: 10,692
Loc: Society
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This article is complete shit. Written to provoke fear of mephedrone as if it has both the societal threats of MDMA and methamphetamine use. The research conducted was publiced in Addiction Biology.
However, I would like to see mephedrone studied more vigorously and objectively. It's a hell of a drug! 
Quote:
acidlover123 said:
these articles make me wonder why the general public doesnt legalize the safer substances. Quote:
"Mephedrone is similar to ecstasy but with a strong addictive component"
if they legalize MDMA nobody would want mephedrone
Spoken like someone who has never tried mephedrone. Generally, I would much rather take pure mephedrone than MDMA.
Mephedrone is no chemical attempting MDMA-mimicry. It stands on it's own. Don't allow yourself to be taken by the vague and emotionally-charged language of mainstream/generic media.
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Society
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Beefy1
GONE
Registered: 05/01/09
Posts: 1,866
Loc: around
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Re: ‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy [Re: veggie]
#15306395 - 10/31/11 09:58 PM (6 months, 25 days ago) |
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Professor Iain McGregor, will lead a project that has just received $386,250 from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study mephedrone's effects on the brain in more detail, including the long term damage to users.
Is this National Health and Medical Research Council is the Australian equivalent of the American NIH?
Seems like there is no such thing as objective research anymore.
Take a look at who pays the bills, compare that to the results of the study
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Kizzle
Misanthrope
Registered: 08/30/11
Posts: 1,941
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Re: ‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy [Re: Meteloides]
#15306986 - 11/01/11 12:41 AM (6 months, 25 days ago) |
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Quote:
Meteloides said:
I think its funny how the news media assigned mephedrone the nickname "Meow Meow" and calls it that in every article. I have never, ever heard anybody refer to it as that. Even on the internet. Hahah.
Yeah they do this all the time. I think drug nicknames tend to be regional but they assume if one group of people call it meow meow then everyone must. 
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acidlover123
Stranger
Registered: 05/24/11
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Last seen: 4 months, 19 days
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Re: ‘Meow meow’ akin to ecstasy [Re: Society]
#15311292 - 11/01/11 09:29 PM (6 months, 24 days ago) |
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Quote:
Society said:
Quote:
acidlover123 said:
these articles make me wonder why the general public doesnt legalize the safer substances. Quote:
"Mephedrone is similar to ecstasy but with a strong addictive component"
if they legalize MDMA nobody would want mephedrone
Spoken like someone who has never tried mephedrone. Generally, I would much rather take pure mephedrone than MDMA.
Mephedrone is no chemical attempting MDMA-mimicry. It stands on it's own. Don't allow yourself to be taken by the vague and emotionally-charged language of mainstream/generic media.
i havent taken mephedrone. i dont take any drug i can get my hands on. i stick to psychedelics, booze, weed, and MDMA
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