To curtail the rapidly growing menace of mephedrone, also called as M-Cat or Meow Meow in the party circuit, a city-based doctor has filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court. The PIL was filed against the central and state governments and central Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
What is M-Cat?
It is a cheap and an easily available chemical formulation, or an analog, belonging to the amphetamine and cathinone family.
What does the doctor say?
"Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) and methylene dioxyamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) are banned substances under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. But the new kid on the block, M-Cat, though belonging to the same family of drugs but with more potent effects, is not included," said Dr Yusuf Merchant, president, Drug Abuse Information Rehabilitation and Research Centre.
What does he want?
The PIL makes three major pleas — to bring mephedrone under the ambit of NDPS Act, to bring analogs of all abusive drugs under the Act, and to give powers to a nodal agency like the NCB to temporarily ban the drug.
The PIL has not yet been posted for hearing, said Merchant. "It has been filed. We tried to move it on December 24, before the New Year's Eve, to minimise damage in terms of number of people who will use it. The court will take it up after vacation."
Under what disguise is M-Cat sold?
The PIL says M-Cat, which is manufactured in India and China, is marketed as a plant feed or bath salts on the Internet. "The addicts, who are as young as 14, order products online. They order those varieties under which it is mentioned that the product is not fit for human consumption, thus posing a danger to their health," Merchant said.
Which countries have banned it?
Up to 53 countries have banned M-Cat since it started making waves in the party circuit. Israel was the first to ban it in 2008, followed by the UK in 2010 and the US in 2011.
What about India?
"Any country M-Cat appeared in, it was banned in the same year. In 2014, we started seeing M-Cat patients here. We have written to the central government and NCB to take action, but officials have been sitting over the issue. Hence, the PIL has been filed," said Merchant.
What's the police doing?
So far, 78 mephedrone cases have been registered under the IPC and 130 people have been arrested in the last two months in city. As M-Cat is not in the list of banned drugs under the NDPS Act, the Anti-Narcotics Cell, along with the police, has been booking users under IPC section 328 (arrest of a person for causing hurt by means of poison with intent to committing an offence). It is a bailable offence.
The police have apprehended several mephedrone peddlers in Andheri, Malad, Mahim, Worli, Juhu and Pydhonie, with the drug haul ranging between 10 and 100 grams. "We are vigilant, especially around colleges and schools. Most peddlers roam around colleges. The drugs that can be easily prepared are being manufactured in slums. Its rampant abuse can be controlled only if the drug is brought under the NDPS Act," said a senior police officer.
Sanjay Jha, zonal director of NCB, said there is a long-drawn process as per which the drug will have to be tested and then its pros and cons discussed in parliament. "The law has to be passed in parliament after discussions and deliberations. On our part, we have submitted our report and communicated with the Centre," he added.
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