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Written by Polly Lavin
http://theelectronicfarm.blogspot.com

So what you on? We take a look at the fashion in drugs in clubland today

Just like the music is cross-pollinating in clubs today so too are the drugs, morphing into new hybrid mixes of each other; poly-drug use is the fashionable way to consume in club-land today. Consumers of these drugs want to go up, up, up not down, down, down and experimenting by taking a combination of drugs to achieve and ultimately retain the high is the price young clubbers are willing to pay.
Speaking with a group of young drug users in Belfast we talk about the meteoric rise of the ‘Coket’ mix that is becoming more and more prevalent as the drug of choice today. It consists of a mix of a small amount of ketamine and the standard amount in cocaine hit. I ask them why they think ketamine has become so popular they tell me ‘cos the pills nowadays are so shit’. Then I ask them what they feel when they take the mix one guy perks up and confidently say’s ‘It’s like your alert from the coke but you have a spaced out feel from the ketamine’ another guy say’s ‘When you see someone on ‘Coket’ their alert but have this glazed over look in their eyes’. In a recent statement UN drug expert Jeremy Douglas stated ketamine was ‘‘a new candy for the youth” warning that it has ‘taken the world’s dance scene by storm’ but are recent media reports stating that ketamine is the ‘new in demand drug’ just a step behind when it’s the mix of drugs that users are reaching for.
I talk to a young London clubber who tells me about her more then average weekend at Brighton Pride. “Brighton Pride commenced for me at 11am when I boarded the train out of London. We had to have a bottle of Cava to celebrate on the way down on the train and as soon as we arrived a few lines of Charlie. Then when I got to the park my mate produced ‘Tina’ I had a dab of that. Then I had a sip of water, which contained some MDMA. I went down to a marquee on the beach- front and found my ‘celebrity’ friends who had a choice of either ketamine or charlie for me to take. I chose Charlie – the ketamine came later on (around 7am) we missed the train back to London and met some girls who obligingly sampled some of our MDMA with us and we were still on it 36 hours later. After a few spliffs and a tequila later from some sound girls from Newcastle we called it a day/night and hit the train. On the way home we finished the trip the way we started it with a bottle of cava! “ In this one story alone there is cross-pollination of alcohol, crystal meth (Tina), MDMA , Ketamine, Cocaine and cannabis.
According to forensic analysts we spoke with the cocaine and ecstasy currently on the streets of Ireland are lined with doses of ketamine so if a clubber takes a hit of ketamine along with their line of two of cocaine they are increasing the dose that is going into their body and increasing the effects of the drug being taken on its own. So, what are the real effects on the body of this kind of multiple drug use?
The majority of these drugs when they are combined together do not metabolise into a new drug. The only known drug that changes is cocaine when it is combined with alcohol it becomes coca ethylene this makes the user more prone to potent cardiac conditions such as heart attack. Given that the Irish clubber has a particular fondness of alcohol users that mix these two substances are cropping up in Accident &Emergency units. In the UK heart attack specialist Dr Chris Baker also told a newspaper recently that increasing numbers of people who use cocaine are developing ‘furring’ of the arteries even from ‘one-off’ episodes. In New York according to the chief medical examiners reports from 2002 deaths that have involved ketamine have also involved a combination of heroin. Along with flashbacks, hallucinations, reports of ADD and other memory learning disorders occurring in Ketamine users the Hong Kong Medical Journal 2007 states “Chronic ketamine use has been complicated by lower urinary tract changes’ as of yet there is no medically confirmed link to kidney dis-orders but professionals are stating this is a prevalence occurring in users. A number of public medical reports on Science Direct also associate ulcerative cystitis and renal (kidney) problems with ketamine use and on lab rats the drug has caused stomach ulcers. Among recreational users, ketamine is more likely to draw users into periods of dependence than any other “psychedelic” drug and users can vomit on high doses which if disorientated or unconscious can result in choking on their own vomit. When ketamine is mixed with depressants such as alcohol, barbiturates or heroin it can shut the body down to such an effect that the lungs or heart stop functioning.
GHB more commonly known as ‘the date rape drug’ is a depressant drug, which slows down body actions. Small doses (possibly one capful) will feel like having a few drinks of alcohol and due to its associations with date rape it is a pretty dangerous drug. It is deceptive as it is colourless and odourless and looks like water but tastes slightly salty. When taken in high doses it can induce coma and clonic muscle movements and perhaps most worryingly it can be bought online for $ 23 a litre. GHB is manufactured using the chemicals gammabutyrolactone and sodium or potassium hydroxide these substances are degreasing floor solvents"
So why are the pills ‘so shit’ that drug users are having to poly use drugs and resort to taking dangerous drugs such as Ketamine, which is used as an animal/human anaesthetic and GHB the date rape drug. The lack of MDMA in pills is highlighted by the increasing amount of BZP/TFMPP or MCPP used in the manufacture of the drugs with board users on websites like www.pillreports.com stating that the market is being ‘flooded’ with BZP laced pills. Most ecstasy tablets contain BZP as BZP can be imported for a cheaper price and is less risky to transport then other illegal substances. This appears to be the driver for manufacturers using same plus it's easier for them to obtain it. One clubber say’s “I blame the drug dealers even though BZP is legal the after effects are a lot worse than MDMA. MDMA is a clean substance it’s safe, no one dies, It just releases serotonin which cannot kill you” another clubber say’s to me in Fabric nightclub, London ‘I’ve tried every drug that is going, the only way to not get a comedown is to take some MDMA before you take other drugs it releases seretonin the feel good factor” I present these comments to a lab technician and they tell me “This is completely inaccurate - there have been deaths from MDMA toxicity and seretonin can kill you tell your commentator to read about "seretonin syndrome".
As of March 2008 under instruction from the EU Ireland has been given 1 year to bring BZP under control and the Irish authorities are currently looking at legislation to change its status. A forum writer states of their experience of MCPP “I actually prefer MCPP the whole loved up feeling doesn’t do it for me. I don’t like empathy or sharing emotions, or even feeling nice, a nice large dose of MCPP, awake for 18 hours, weird thoughts; a nice large dose of paranoia, and a nice large dose of hell’’. In countries like New Zealand BZP remained legal for a number of years with the BZP molecule initially approved for use as a food additive. Government drug policy was based on W.H.O and UN principles of "drug harm minimization" and as methamphetamine use was a problem BZP was liberally tolerated. However, as of October 2008 it has become illegal in New Zealand. Matt Bowden an NZ based party pill manufacturer and advocate for BZP states "The EMCDDA paper asked that BZP be brought under a level of regulation commensurate with the level of risk; that risk level was stated as being "LOW". The most appropriate response would be for Ireland to control BZP probably with a lighter regulation then alcohol or tobacco as the level of risk associated with BZP use is closer to that of a high caffeine energy drink. The point that people are missing is BZP is a lot safer than methamphetamine and cocaine, it is not addictive and is most unlikely to cause fatal overdoses. Over 400,000 consumers consumed over 26 million BZP pills in New Zealand over an 8-year period and BZP use did not result in any recorded deaths or lasting injuries, while at the same time over 40,000 deaths were attributed to alcohol and tobacco. The approach that should be taken in EU countries including Ireland to safer non addictive drugs which are reducing demand for more harmful addictive drugs is they should be made available to drug consumers by registered retail outlets operating within the bounds of an industry code of practice and bound by law to only supply adults. Products should be manufactured to strict manufacturing guidelines and there should be a limit on dosage”
In contradiction to Bowden’s comments of ‘no recorded deaths or lasting injuries’ reports from A&E units in NZ hospitals showed BZP when mixed with other substances can result in death, cause seizures, respiratory depression and cardiac complications. There is also a danger of unintentional overdose as the effects of the drug can be delayed until 2 hours after taking it, often leading people to take more tablets.

On the www.pillreports.com website users state that if drug dealers were to use pure MDMA in the drugs instead of BZP they would pay a higher price. One commentator states when drug dealers are selling they say "These pills are MDMA there £4 a pop but the price for an ecstasy pill is £2 that’s the way it stays and most dealers do not control what they get in the pills, they just get the pills unfortunately, there’s more money to be made selling MCPP’ another user comments ‘I heard it only costs 25p to make a 100mg MDMA pill so we are paying a lot”. If we go by these comments alone if the consumer wants a higher grade of ecstasy tablet but is not willing to pay more then £2 for a tablet. In the business side that exists to drug dealing its obvious that a manufacturer is going to opt for the cheaper materials if the market price is not going to generate enough profit for them and its inevitable lower grade cheaper materials such as MCPP will replace MDMA. Another boards writer states “I am currently getting good MDMA from Dublin and refuse to buy any pills unless I test them, hopefully more and more people will start doing the same and the dealers who are not testing will end up stuck with a load of shit pills which nobody wants, then they might start testing and refuse to buy anything which does not test positive for MDMA”

What is Mephedrone ?

Along with ketamine, mephedrone is a new drug that is turning up albeit at a lesser extent in clubs today. The 'come down' from this drug is light and the majority of users report that they feel fine the morning after. Users report feeling very euphoric, energetic, confused, and fearless whilst under the influences of Mephedrone, users take between ¼ to max ½ gram on a night out. Neurotoxicity can occur from using mephedrone, which effectively is frying, off your brain cells. One forum writer states, “I'm a fan of the stuff. It mixes really well with booze. I don't really get energy from MDMA any more. Mephedrone gives me a good energy buzz for dancing. It's sociable stuff but not as empathic as MDMA and not as ego boosting as coke. It's hard to describe, like a really really good speed without all the crap. I don't get a comedown off the stuff at the moment I feel near perfect the next day after a session”.
http://www.mephedrone.com - Daily Tepgraph 12th march 2009

What’s in the Drugs on the Streets of Ireland?

According to a forensic scientist we spoke to the most common adulterants found in Cocaine, heroin and tablets on the Irish streets are; *Cocaine: lignocaine (local anaesthetic) benzocaine (local anaesthetic) caffeine, phenacetin (analgesic which is a painkiller) Diltiazem (This increases coronary blood flow and decreases myocardial oxygen consumption, secondary to decreased peripheral resistance, heart rate, and contractility) *Heroin: Caffeine (stimulant) paracetamol, griseofulvan (antifungal medicine used to treat ringworm) *Amphetamine: Caffeine, Diazepam (sedative) Selegiline (used to treat Parkinson’s disease), Mannitol, red phosphorous and iodine*Tablets (mainly MDMA but can also include the following on top of MDMA): Caffeine, ketamine, LSD, Ephedrine (appetite suppressant, also used to treat hypo tension this is low blood pressure) Dextromethorphan (usually found in cough medicine makes you floaty and high) *Mephedrone –  currently researching for further accurate info.
There are a lot of things to take into account if you are going to take drugs. Firstly, gender difference can have an impact on levels of tolerance. Your physical body make up, weight difference differing liver sizes, fat ratio’s on your body etc means that generally speaking, the same amount of drugs will have a greater effect on a woman than on a man. You also need to take account of any physical health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, epilepsy, diabetes, asthma or liver problems, which could make drug use more dangerous.
If you choose not to take drugs this is your choice and your true friends will support your decision, don’t feel under pressure to do something you don’t want to do. If you choose you are going to take drugs be safe and tell a good friend what you are taking and how much you are taking before you take it. Always be aware of the amounts you are taking, if you are not aware this means you are taking too much. Always stay in the company of good friends who can look out for you if your body does react.

Celebrity Cocaine Dealers In Credit Crunch Crisis

So many cash strapped investment bankers and hipsters are cutting back on cocaine use that New York’s elite dealers are being forced into poverty, the New York Times reported this week.
 "I see high-end guys hawking in parks now," self-confessed bankers’ dealer ‘Sammy’ told the newspaper, "And these are guys that used to sell to Paris Hilton's crowd."
Established street dealers are also suffering, the Times suggested, both from the new competition posed by executive dealers and increasing numbers of students going straight edge.
America’s DEA also issued a warning that 30% of the cocaine they’ve seized in the last year contains deadly adulterant levamisole, press agency AP reported, adding that the de-worming tablet has been linked to three deaths and ‘hundreds’ of grave illnesses.
Top British music journalist Sylvia Patterson meanwhile branded drug laws ‘useless’ this week using her own frightening experience mixing ecstasy with cider at Reading Festival to underline her argument.
Slipping on a roadside kerb at the festival ten years ago, the erstwhile NME/ Mixmag national newspaper writer described breaking her arm so badly that a doctor told her she might ‘lose the arm altogether’ prompting her to quit drugs altogether, she said.
“The Law, as it continues to legislate for the many to "protect" the few, should at least consider one inarguable truth,” Sylvie suggested (writing in the Sunday Herald).  “That the vast majority of human beings, in their often-calamitous sojourn to discover where their edges might lie, eventually and with great relief (and if they're extremely lucky, with all their limbs intact) grow out of it,” she said.