Mephedrone

• 
  

The latest legal high drug is mephedrone and has never been tested on humans since it was never intended for human use. It is a structural analogue of (S)-cathinone and the term miaow miaow presumably comes from either khat or (S)-cat... . Possibly, there will be someone who would experiment with the herbicide (weedkiller) paraquat if they were told 'it has an effect', albeit a very deadly one, but there's only one way to find out...

Perhaps using an emetic in the khat 
formulation could prove useful

Ingestion of any unknown substance is always dangerous. And to just get a 'high' whether legal of otherwise is simply stupid. It would appear that improper use is just through simple ignorance. The lack of any knowledge about the dangers of such practices. The worrying element with this entire issue is the attitude that permits taking such potentially deadly products. In the proper environment strychnine or potassium cyanide can be useful. For humans they are both deadly.

Reported central nervous system (CNS) activities include euphoria, enhanced confidence and an urge to socialise. These attributes compare with ecstasy (MDMA) which is structurally related to the class A drug methamphetamine, one of the most potent amphetamines (speed). Originally classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1971 as a class B drug (cannabis, amphetamine, codeine and methylphenidate) this was upgraded in 2006 to Class A which includes heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, LSD and psilocybin mushrooms.

In the UK, drugs are individually specified (ACMD), an independent expert body (quango), rather than by structural similarity as in the US (Federal Analog Act).

United States Code

Use of substances like mephedrone are already banned simply by the nature of structure. The ACMD itself is currently in disarray.

Smoking

• 
  

Nicotine residues absorbed on indoor surfaces react with gases in the air and produce a larger number of carcinogenic compounds. Tobacco causes the deaths of 10% of the adult population in the UQ (aka UK) Ltd (5.4million) annually and if the trend continues probably 8million by 2030. The desorption of these carcinogenic tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) from surfaces creates so-called third-hand smoke and is not a new phenomenon. What has recently been discovered, however, is that these residues react with atmospheric species like nitrous acid, providing another source of TSNAs. Children touch and lick surfaces and fabrics and so are exposed to these compounds in a different way to adults and could be up to 20 times the adult exposure level.

Advertising and sponsorship on TV has been banned since 1991 and in 2005 this was extended to other media, the work-place and public places. It is not likely that a ban can include the home or car as this could not realistically be policed and progress will only be made via education and raising awareness. Ideally, to avoid the need to quit smoking it is best to never start and this must be by education and raising awareness to the serious issues regarding smoking. It involves the selfishness of ignoring the health of others.

Skydiving without a parachute is a deadly activity. And likewise, so is smoking.