Arrests warning over fertiliser 'drug' in Hyndburn (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Arrests warning over fertiliser 'drug' in Hyndburn

2:00pm Wednesday 2nd December 2009 in Hyndburn By Sam Chadderton, Reporter

VICTIM: Gabrielle Price is believed to have died after taking a Mephedrone

POLICE in Hyndburn are warning people carrying a dangerous plant fertiliser ‘drug’ that they will be arrested.

Officers have revealed that Mephedrone, known locally as 'Bubble' or ' Michael', is being bought online and taken by youths in the borough.

Though the plant feeder is not illegal to possess, it has a similar appearance to cocaine and Geographic Inspector David Mangan said his officers will make arrests and treat the Mephedrone as suspected Class A drugs.

He said: “While investigating a burglary, some of my officers came across evidence that youths are committing inquisitive crime to fund the purchase of this fertiliser.

“It is incredibly dangerous and I don’t think those taking it quite realise what it is.

“My concern is that it is the younger element - teenagers - buying it off the Internet and taking it as a legal high.”

Insp Mangan admitted the use of the drug among Hyndburn youngsters had taken them by surprise in the last two weeks, but that they were now spreading the message of it’s ‘absolutely awful’ side effects.

These include paranoia, diarrhoea and depression.

Insp Mangan said there was a suggestion dealers were cutting cocaine with the Mephedrone.

Nationally, there has been concern that the drug was linked to the death of a 14-year-old at a house party in Brighton.

Gabrielle Price suffered a heart attack at the party and she later died.

A search for Mephedrone on the internet shows it can be bought legally for £11 a gram.

Substances such as Spice, which uses a synthetic version of THC, a chemical in cannabis, and other substances such as BZP and GBL, are chemical variations of illegal drugs.

Mephedrone has emerged in the last year and experts believe its chemical formula is two tweaks away from ecstasy.

Drug support organisations say that these drugs are quite new and not as well known as illegal drugs.

Harry Shapiro, director of communications at DrugScope, said: “These drugs aren’t very well known in the medical profession.

“There are GPs who wouldn’t recognise these drugs are causing problems.”

The Home Office is making some of these drugs illegal, and in December 2009 Spice will become a class B drug and GBL and BZP will be class C drugs.

However the Home Office has not changed its stance on Mephedrone, which will continue to remain legal high.