Figures obtained by The Courier using freedom of information legislation reveal dozens of people have been detained at Perth Royal Infirmary after consuming mephedrone suffering from an array of alarming symptoms such as brain damage, schizophrenia and cardiac arrest.
A total of 45 people were admitted to wards at the hospital after taking the psycho-stimulant between 2006 and September of last year.
Patients were suffering from what an FOI officer described as “a wide array of symptoms.”
These included anoxic brain damage, asthma, cardiac arrest, mental and behavioural disorder, panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Some were suffering from what is described as “combined vocal and multiple motor tic disorder” while others had head injuries and “disturbance of activity and attention.”
Over the period 28 admissions were male and 17 female.
A high proportion were aged 20 or under and most had consumed a potentially lethal cocktail of drugs.
The FOI officer said it was “not always possible” to conclude that mephedrone was a “casual or contributory” factor.
In fact, most patients had mixed bubbles with other potent and often illegal substances.
“Over the period none of the admissions related to patients who had taken pyscho-stimulants only,” she said.Criminalised”In all instances at least one other chemical substance had also be taken, for example alcohol, anti-depressants, cocaine, heroin or paracetamol.”
Mephedrone also known as M-KAT, meow meow and bubbles has now been criminalised after it was linked to around 25 deaths across the UK.
It was reclassified after the advisory council for the misuse of drugs ruled the substance has no use as either a plant food or a bath salt, which is how it had been widely marketed.
Although there is still a lack of knowledge over the long-term impact of abuse, reports suggest short-term effects can include increased heart rate, agitation, irritability, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, as well as increased blood pressure.
Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham said the statistics show just why bubbles has been outlawed.
Meanwhile, figures released by Perth and Kinross Council revealed no pupils have been caught in possession of mephedrone at local schools.
Nevertheless, local authority officials are working to raise awareness of the newly-criminalised drug.
“We work very closely with the police and health colleagues to educate and inform our young people of the dangers associated with substance misuse,” a spokesman said.