Emergency department presentations in determining the effectiveness of drug control in the United Kingdom: mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) control appears to be effective using this model.
Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) and related cathinones were controlled in the United Kingdom on 16 April 2010. An analysis of presentations to the emergency department of patients with acute toxicity related to the use of mephedrone demonstrated that there was a peak in presentations prior to and a significant fall in presentations following the control of mephedrone. This suggests that the control of mephedrone in the United Kingdom may have been effective in reducing the acute harm associated with the drug.
Medical Toxicology Office, 2nd Floor, Bermondsey Wing, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK. david.wood@gstt.nhs.uk
David M
DM
Wood
Shaun L
SL
Greene
Paul I
PI
Dargan
D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000506:poisoning*; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000506:poisoning; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine; C548233:mephedrone