Plant food for thought: A qualitative study of mephedrone use in Ireland

Abstract

The synthetic cathinone derivative club drug ‘mephedrone’ [4-methylmethcathinone (4MMC)] has been recognized in the EMCDDA early warning system since 2008 [EMCDDA (2010a). ‘Article 5 of the Council Decision’ council decision 2005/387/JHA of 10 May 2005 on the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new psychoactive substances. Official Journal, L 127. Retrieved from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32005D0387:EN:HTML] and is currently under legislative control in Ireland. Research on this drug remains scant, and primarily UK based. This exploratory research aimed to present a ‘consumptive snapshot’ of this emerging drug in the Irish drug scene, with specific focus on mephedrone user experiences, social situatedness of use and risk discourses. Twenty two in-depth interviews were undertaken with young Irish people aged 18–35 years, who had used mephedrone in the 6 months prior to fieldwork. The resulting narratives were phenomenologically and thematically analysed; and identified unique mephedrone user decision-making processes, particular drug effects and outcomes, socially contextualized mephedrone use and user harm reducing strategies grounded in prior illicit and poly drug taking careers. The research supports UK-based findings, which suggested the presence of drug displacement patterns between licit and illicit, with Irish mephedrone user preferences centralized in mephedrone availability, competitive pricing and general lack of quality illicit stimulants in the street trade. Policy makers and drug educational specialists are dealing with rapid metamorphoses and re-branding of cathinone derivatives circumventing legislation amid widespread internet availability.

Notes

Notes

1. On the 3rd of June 2010, the Irish government published the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (psychoactive substances) Bill, which stated that under the proposed Scheme, the sale or supply of substances (formerly known as legal highs), which are not specifically proscribed under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, but which have psychoactive effects, for human consumption will be a criminal offence.

2. A head shop is a retail outlet, which specializes in drug paraphernalia related to consumption of cannabis, other recreational drugs, and New Age herbs, as well as counterculture art, magazines, music, clothing and home decor.

3. A coin dipped in a bag of mephedrone and snorted.

4. Cocaine substitute product called ‘Charge’.