BLOW (mephedrone)
THE most controversial of the drugs tested, Blow is supposed to be 'off the market'. As confirmed by our lab tests, it contains mephedrone, a component so new that the EU only became aware of its existence in 2008.
A simple search on the internet for Blow reveals that, despite its 'off the market' status, it can be purchased online, with 1g priced at E40.
The drug's first known fatality was in December of 2008, when an 18-year-old Swedish girl died after consuming it.
Highly profitable, mephedrone is reportedly manufactured in China. Researchers in Britain found that half of users suffered from headaches and more than a quarter from nausea. However, one user who described taking the drug along with cocaine on a binge didn't suffer either of those side effects.
The user said: 'After a few minutes it feels like my body is having an orgasm, my whole body, I get goosebumps all over my body and it feels so great.' The 15-hour binge ended at 3am. After sleeping for 12 hours, the user woke up feeling 'a little dizzy, but almost nothing'.
CHARGE (lidocaine, flephedrone)
OUR tests on this drug, which is marketed as a sort of cocaine substitute found two main components: lidocaine, which was developed by a Swedish chemist in 1943 and can be used for treating neuralgic conditions, and flephedrone, which is very similar in composition to mephedrone. Online, 0.5g of Charge van be bought for E25.
Lidocaine is mixed with cocaine by drug dealers because it numbs the gums, which makes the users believe that they have consumed 'high quality' cocaine. However, users were equivocal about it. One complained that it 'is expensive for often mixed with cocaine what it is and instead of buying this just get a few red bulls'. Another, called 'Nellios', who described himself as 'a pretty experienced drug user and am a bit sick of the usual speed, coke, meth etc', found Charge 'a pretty smooth and clean rush.'
DIABLO XXX (mephedrone)
DIABLO, which is the Spanish word for devil, claims it contains ketones, dicalcium phosphate and magnesium sterate. But our tests also found the presence of mephedrone. Two tablets can be purchased online for E15. Despite warnings on the packaging that Diablo is a 'plant feeder' and 'not for human consumption', it's quite clear that most buyers are choosing to ignore this advice. Users on internet forums were largely unimpressed by the drug. One described feelings of 'mild euphoria not unlike amphetamines, increased sociability and talkativeness'. But the aftermath proved less palatable. 'Comedown is a bit rough... Waves of mild depression,' said the blogger going by the name of SirBillGatesJnr. Another spoke of 'puking for a good three hours' and came to the conclusion that the pills are 'f***ing horrible, give them a miss'.