title: Substitutional potential of mephedrone: an analysis of the subjective effects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the past 25-30 years, a large number of synthetic and non-synthetic drugs have appeared on the recreational scene, but with the exception of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone), none of these substances reached the popularity of ecstasy [3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine, (MDMA)]. Authors aimed to determine the subjective effects of mephedrone in order to understand how mephedrone can serve as a potential substitute for entactogens, such as MDMA.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty-five mephedrone users--recruited by snowball method--filled out a questionnaire on their patterns of use and experienced subjective effects of mephedrone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factor analysis revealed six factors of mephedrone-induced subjective effects: positive emotions, sensibility, adverse somatic effects, adverse psychological effects, stimulant effects, and psychedelic effects. A preference list of subjective effects indicates that mephedrone is popular primarily for its psychostimulant and entactogen effects. Latent class analysis identified two classes of mephedrone users, with closely parallel profiles. The two classes differed in severity of subjective experience in a way that was consistent across the six dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By having similar subjective effects as MDMA and other entactogens, mephedrone seems able to substitute other enactogenic stimulants.
authors.affiliation: Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Máté
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kapitány-Fövény
authors.forename: Máté
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kertész
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winstock
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deluca
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Corazza
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zacher
authors.forename: Róbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Urbán
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Demetrovics
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine; C548233:mephedrone
keywords: 4-methylmethcathinone; MDMA; ecstasy; entactogen; mephedrone; subjective effects