Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The growing problem of mephedrone use in Warsaw, Poland, 2010–18

2018; Elsevier BV; Volume: 5; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30305-5

2215-0374

Michał Ordak, Tadeusz Nasierowski, Elżbieta Muszyńska,

Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

In 2016, Joanna Hockenhull and colleagues1Hockenhull J Mephedrone use is increasing in London.Lancet. 2016; 387: 1719-1720Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (28) Google Scholar reported the increasing use of mephedrone in London, UK, despite classification of the drug as a class B substance. Unfortunately, this problem can also be seen in Poland, where (in response to the Council of the European Union decision on Dec 2, 2010, to submit mephedrone to control measures and criminal sanctions provided for by national legislations throughout the European Union2The Council of the European UnionCouncil decision of 2 December 2010 on submitting 4- methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) to control measures. Official Journal of the European Union.http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_134870_EN_Council_Decision_2010_759_EU_2_December_2010.pdfDate: Dec 8, 2010Date accessed: August 17, 2018Google Scholar) the law of June 10, 2010, amended the act on counteracting drug addiction to include mephedrone in group 1-P of psychotropic substances—ie, can only be used for research purposes.3The law of 10 June 2010 amending the Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction. Polish Internet Database System of Legal Acts.http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20101430962Date: 2010Date accessed: August 8, 2018Google Scholar Although this amendment led to the closure of legal high shops, mephedrone is still available via the internet. Between August, 2010, and April, 2018, 601 people were admitted to Nowowiejski Hospital in Warsaw, after a mephedrone binge (ie, 2 days or more using mephedrone), of whom 559 (93%) were men. The average length of a binge was 12·4 days (SD 18·7) and the average dose of mephedrone was 1·52 g per day (SD 2·15; unpublished). By age, the largest group of patients was aged 26–35 years (333 [55%] of 601 people). The younger the individual, the higher the dose of mephedrone they tended to take (figure A; p=0·006) and the longer their binge lasted (figure B; p=0·008). The number of patients admitted to hospital after a mephedrone binge increased from August, 2010, to April, 2018. 595 (99%) of 601 patients combined mephedrone with other psychoactive substances—primarily, alcohol, heroin, benzodiazepines, opioids, and cannabinols. Furthermore, polypharmacotherapy was used in their treatment, which resulted in frequent adverse reactions associated with drug interactions. Therefore, determining the side-effects of taking mephedrone alone and the study of its metabolism are difficult. These findings show that subsequent versions of the Polish Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction3The law of 10 June 2010 amending the Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction. Polish Internet Database System of Legal Acts.http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20101430962Date: 2010Date accessed: August 8, 2018Google Scholar have not reduced the number of patients admitted to hospital after a mephedrone binge. During January–April, 2018, 29 people were admitted to the Nowowiejski Hospital, suggesting the market for the production and distribution of mephedrone persists. Therefore, perhaps more radical steps are needed to reduce this problem—eg, by preventive actions (including education on preventive actions in school curricula) and blocking websites promoting mephedrone. We declare no competing interests. Mephedrone use is increasing in LondonThe UK Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, which received Royal Assent on Jan 28, 2016,1 aims to eradicate the market in new psychoactive substances, but we question how effective the banning of these drugs might be. Full-Text PDF