Ban Mephedrone Now, Says MP

A 'legal high' should be banned before more young people die.

South Belfast MP and former family GP Dr Alasdair McDonnell had called on the Minister for Health to take urgent action to tackle the significant rise in the consumption of the harmful legal drug mephedrone.

His call to ban the legal drug mephedrone "immediately" comes after deaths in England, and reports of increasing use of the drug in Northern Ireland.

DUP MP Nigel Dodds has also called for the ban following the deaths of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, who are thought to have taken the drug.

Yesterday, Dr. McDonnell said: "Youth workers across Belfast and drug support groups across Northern Ireland have been warning for several months of the significant increase in the number of young people taking mephedrone.

"Mieow as it is often known on the street is a plant fertiliser. It is extremely harmful when taken for human consumption and can lead to death. And the fact that it is legal means it is readily accessible even to children.

"During my time as a family GP I have seen at first-hand the destruction and heartache recreational drugs can have on young people and entire families.

"Mephedrone is illegal in Israel, Denmark, Norway and Sweden and there is a strong case for considering a ban here." he said.

"I will be raising this issue in Westminster and will be urging the Government to seriously consider the impact of any action that it does take because the last thing we need is to make it more difficult to protect young people from the sale of this drug.

"What is needed immediately is a proactive Northern Ireland wide education campaign of the harmful affects of this drug both among young people and their parents," he continued noting that he would be writing to the Minister for Health and the Minster for Education "urging them to lead on and roll out this campaign as a matter of urgency".

(BMcC/GK)