290 Methcathinone
fected facial cysts that can leave scars. Heart impairment has been discovered
among current users. Examination of former users reveals brain damage that
may lead to Parkinson’s disease. Autopsies find widespread blood vessel dam-
age throughout the body, from skin to vital organs.
Abuse factors.When effects from a dose ebb, the drug’s initial elevation of
mood converts into the opposite, and abusers lacking in self-confidence may
rely more and more on additional doses of the drug to restore a positive mood
instead of seeking to build and rely upon inner resources. As mental spirits
level off or decline, abusers respond with binge behavior—rather than grad-
ually increasing their dosage, they alternate between heavy use and no use.
They may take the drug every hour or so for days even though users report
that effects of a dose can last for almost a week.
A group of 19 users compared methcathinone with other drugs. Those per-
sons described methcathinone’s stimulation as more of a physical jolt and
cocaine’s as more of a mental jolt. None of cocaine’s physical numbing was
noticed with methcathinone. The latter drug was described as stronger,
cheaper (at least in the 1990s), and having better duration than cocaine. The
19 persons all misused methcathinone in ways that added turmoil to their
lives and said their need for the drug was psychological, not physical. The
users mostly said the drug had ruined their lives. Those lives seemed troubled
before methcathinone entered, however. Only 4 of the persons were employed
when they started using the substance. Relationships with family and friends
declined, but that decline was accelerated by explosive anger and by delib-
erately avoiding friends and relatives. The employed persons got into conflicts
with coworkers or stayed away from the workplace. All lost their jobs. No
doubt the drug made things worse, but abusers seemed to be struggling with
sad lives before adding methcathinone to other drugs they abused.
Drug interactions. Users claim that eating sugar can worsen methcathi-
none’s undesirable psychological effects.
Cancer.Not enough scientific information to report.
Pregnancy.Not enough scientific information to report.
Additional information.“Qat” and “Somali tea” are nicknames for both
methcathinone and khat, but those are different substances.
Additional scientific information may be found in:Calkins, R.F., G.B. Aktan, and K.L. Hussain. “Methcathinone: The Next Illicit Stimulant
Epidemic?”Journal of Psychoactive Drugs27 (1995): 277–85.
Emerson, T.S., and J.E. Cisek. “Methcathinone: A Russian Designer Amphetamine In-
filtrates the Rural Midwest.”Annals of Emergency Medicine22 (1993): 1897–903.
Goldstone, M.S. “ ‘Cat’: Methcathinone—A New Drug of Abuse.”Journal of the Amer-
ican Medical Association269 (1993): 2508.
Zhingel, K.Y., et al. “Ephedrone: 2-Methylamino-1-Phenylpropan-1-One (Jeff).”Journal
of Forensic Sciences36 (1991): 915–20.