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Maharashtra governments cracks whip on M-Cat, bans it under NDPS act

Side-effects Mephedrone can cause various unintended side effects including: dilated pupils, poor concentration, teeth grinding, problems focusing visually, poor short-term memory, hallucinations, delusions, and erratic behaviour

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Mephedrone, a cheap addictive drug known as M-Cat, meow meow and drone in local parlance and which was freely available in the market devoid of any legal regulation, has now come under the scanner of the central government. "The drug has been included as a 'psychotropic substance' under the National Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been asked to sensitise all drug enforcement agencies on this," said a notification from SN Dash, under secretary (revenue), GoI. Mephedrone has been stirring the hornet's nest since last year after Dr Yusuf Merchant, a psychiatrist in the city, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) against central and state governments and central Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), appealing to bring the drug under NDPS Act.

Will this act as a deterrent?
In spite of rising cases of Mephedrone abuse among youth in cities like Mumbai, the police were unable to act in the absence of stringent rules. The Anti-Narcotics Cell and police had been booking M-
Cat abusers under IPC section 328 (arrest for causing hurt by means of poison with intent to committing an offence), which is a bailable offence.

Were peddlers having a free run?
The police had apprehended several mephedrone peddlers in Andheri, Malad, Mahim, Worli, Juhu and Pydhonie, with the drug haul ranging between 10 and 100 grams. Kumar Sanjay Jha, Zonal Director of Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) says henceforth "Mephedrone offenders will be booked under four different sections of the NDPS Act."

What is NCB saying?
The NCB had drafted a report with the central government last year about rise in Mephedrone abuse and details of laws governing it in other countries. "Considering all the parameters in mind, the centre brought it under the stringent NDPS Act. This will help us crackdown several labs and other big players involved in its manufacture and trafficking who are already under our radar," said an NCB official.

How many are affected?
Dr Merchant, who is also president of Drug Abuse Information, Rehabilitation and Research Centre, says the organisation has estimated that over two lakh children, in the age group of 13 to 15, are addicted to this substance in India. "There are no rehabilitation centres in the country to cater to children below 14 who are addicted narcotics," he says.

What more is expected?
The Indian government should take up the rehabilitation of children affected by substance abuse, on a war footing, says Dr Merchant.

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