Mephedrone, recently labelled in the national press as the “UK’s new favourite drug”, is widely taken by Oxford students who thave little idea of the associated side effects and health risks.

A Cherwell investigation this week has shown that students at the University are not only use the drug recreationally, but also as a study aid.

They investigation also found that student-users are ignorant of forthcoming changes in its legal status, with many students incorrectly believing the drug will be banned imminently.

Mephedrone, also known as M-Kat, is widely available online. However, the compound is illegal to sell for human consumption, so the websites which sell it market the drug as a plant fertiliser. The substance costs around £10 for a gram, with discounts available for bulk orders, making mephedrone less than a quarter of the street price of cocaine.

Students report the drug as causing a feeling of euphoria, increased self-confidence and conversational ability and, in some cases, sexual arousal. They also said that the drug helped them to stay awake and “lively” when going out.

One leading Oxford pharmacologist, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the issue, warned of the dangers of potential overdose on the drug.

Many students use mephedrone because of its easy access and immediate effects. “It’s not as strong as cocaine or ecstasy,” said one undergraduate, “and it’s obviously much easier to get hold of. I

know there must be risks about taking it, but not as much as others. It’s more of a sweetie-drug for me.”

“It’s the smart person’s drug of choice, you take it, don’t drink, have a bit of a buzz, and then wake up feeling fine,” said another. “It’s legal which makes it seem a bit less bad, even though obviously it’s not legal for what we do with it…”

The Home Office has confirmed to Cherwell that mephedrone is only legal when sold for purposes other than human consumption.

One surprising finding of the survey was that a minority of students are taking the drug as a study aid, a use not reported on until now.

“I had the idea for using it for an essay crisis because it kept me up all night at a club, and I didn’t feel bad in the morning,” said a student. “I only took only took a little bit in comparison to what I’d do on a night out, and it gave me a slight mood elevation – which you definitely don’t get from coffee.”

“I’ve only done it once or twice as a last ditch resort,” he said, “‘because it’s quite a precarious solution”.

Many emphasised the fact that the drug can be delivered to your door by post as an advantage. “You can buy it easily online – no lurking about on dark corners or cryptic text messages – you can buy it during labs!”

“There’s something rather delicious about the postman handing over your fix by special delivery,” claimed one modern languages undergraduate.

But one leading pharmacologist, who has led research into recreational drugs, told Cherwell that “with Mephedrone you’re taking an unknown dose, and one of the dangers with this is that someone will overdose.”

When asked what he would tell students using the drug, he said, “don’t assume that just because it’s legal it’s safe”.

He quoted a public health report which listed the possible negative side effects of use as “uncomfortable changes in body temperature (sweating and chills), heart palpitations, impaired short term memory, insomnia, tightened jaw muscles, grinding teeth, muscle twitching, dizziness, light headedness, vertigo,” as well as pain and swelling in the nose and throat if the substance is snorted.

The specialist also reported that, chemically, the substance is an amphetamine like controlled drugs such as Speed.

“You’d say that it’s in the category of amphetamines,” he said.

Students spoken to by Cherwell also had little idea about if or when the drug was due to be reclassified by the government, with most believing that a new legal status would be set at the end of this or next month.

A rumour of an imminent change in the legal status prompted a spike in sales as users ‘stockpiled’ earlier in the year.

But a Home Office spokesperson confirmed that the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to the government was not due to report their findings into Mephedrone until the spring. The government would then take time to reclassify the drug, meaning that it may remain widely available for the rest of the academic year.

The spokesperson said that the Council were reviewing the drug as an urgent priority. A source within the ACMD confirmed that “[Mephedrone] is one of our most pressing concerns. We are also investigating use of anabolic steroid for cosmetic reasons.”

And despite the drug’s currently uncontrolled status, Oxford University proctors have now said that any student found abusing the substance is liable to be disciplined.
“It is an offence…for any member of the University to engage in action which is likely to cause injury or to impair safety. Even if a substance is legal, supplying it to others in the knowledge of documented adverse side-effects could fall under the above,” said a representative for the university.

“We would strongly advise students against the practise [sic] of taking any substance that could cause potential risks to their health,” they said.

All students spoken to as part of the investigation asked to remain anonymous.

See Cherwell’s editorial on drug use in Oxford: http://www.cherwell.org/content/9586

The merger of RockEntz and PulseNation events companies into Varsity Events has led to a drop in the variety and diversity of Oxford club nights, students and managers claim.

Organisers of other club nights have complained about the “monopoly” Varsity has on the city.

Jenny Edmunds, a current student who runs the popular club night Eclectric, said, “It’s not very nice having all the money going to the same people at the top.”

OUSU-backed PulseNation was founded by two Oxford University students Dominic Conte and Arthur Worsley at the beginning of 08/09 academic year.

Pulse was formed in response to Balreick Srai’s grip on Oxford entertainment in the form of his events promotion company RockEntz.

Last summer, the two biggest Oxford promotion companies merged together under a trademark of Varsity Events, creating a monopoly which has been both condemned and praised.

Escape nightclub criticised Varsity Events’ effect on the Oxford clubbing scene. “Certainly Pulse and Balreick are the big boys. They have made it hard to break in for other promoters; they do seem to have monopolised the situation. This does lead to more generic nights, I think. More different promoters make it more interesting, catering to different clientele,” said Escape’s spokesperson.

A spokesperson for BabyLove said, “Balreick [the founder of RockEntz] has too much of a monopoly, and I think that it’s unhealthy…I have the view that it’s better to help student promoters.”

“Also, working with different independent promoters means that we have all different kinds of nights, with nights like Eclectric, Pop Tarts’ gay night, and Indie nights with the Narcissists.”

Edmunds, of Eclectric, claimed that the backing from the OUSU made Varsity Events’ domination of the market insurmountable. She said, “The scariest bit is that they have the mailing list from the OUSU, no-one else can compete with that; as soon as new students come they have already got access to them. It would be much better to have lot of individual promoters.”

Varsity Events is described in the Freshers’ Handbook as “the official OUSU-affiliated Entz company”. No other events promotion company can be affiliated with OUSU.

“It’s a really sad scenario that it’s so hard to arrange alternative nights for the amount of cheese,” Edmunds said. She added “lots of people go home to go clubbing, because it’s so much more expensive in Oxford.”

OUSU’s sponsorship of Pulse means that Varsity Events are able to advertise their club nights in emails from Oxford Student Services Limited, OUSU’s commercial subsidiary. This association means that students are aware of Varsity Events’ nights from the start of Fresher’s Week.

But Lewis Iwu, ex-president of OUSU, argued that such a monopoly could be a good thing, and defended OUSU’s decision to sponsor PulseNation.

“I see no problem with the idea of a monopoly on the clubbing scene,” he claimed, “as long as that monopoly isn’t abused, and club prices are still affordable, then I think that can’t be a problem.”

Some believe that the creation of Varsity Events has made a positive difference to the turn-out at clubs. Lava&Ignite manager Ken Getgood admitted, “Having [Varsity Events] working with us makes a huge difference in relation to the amount of students that attend our venue. Admissions wise we are at capacity every Wednesday for our Oxford Uni night – 1200 persons.” He defended the allegation of a lack of choice and variety saying, “I know they use all different types of venues so surely this offers variety to the students?”

The Bridge and Escape also conceded that Varsity Events do boost their student turn out. Escape said they get over 500 people on Fridays, while Bridge claim to reach capacity most Thursdays, both nights being run for Oxford University by Varsity Events.

A day centre for homeless people in Oxford could be closed down, after a report recommending funding cuts last month.

The Gap, located on Park End street, is currently funded by Oxford City Council. Without council money the project would have to close.

The report, which reviewed all of Oxford’s day centres, also recommended that the council remove the £10,000 funding for The Gatehouse drop-in centre for over 25s.

The Gap provides services for up to 60 homeless people a day aged between 16 and 25. Help offered includes access to shower and laundry facilities, computers, donated clothes and two daily meals. The centre also gives confidential advice and information to help people find accommodation and runs a range of classes in essential skills such as IT.

The closure of the project would leave the youngest of Oxford’s homeless community without a place to go. Age limits are in place in other shelters and drop-in centres to protect young people from abuse from older residents.

The report, which suggested the project would be unlikely to reflect the council’s new agendas of “rehabilitation” and “empowerment” better than other services, has been opposed by Councillor Patrick Murray.

Mr Murray, who was himself homeless in the winter of 1999-2000 due to depression, described how The Gap had helped him back into society. He has expressed concern for the planned closure.

“I want to see the work about where young people and people with mental health problems are going to go.

“I want to see that there’s going to be no gap in provision before any decisions about funding are taken.”

Critics claim that the proposed closure would force young homeless out of the ‘safe haven’ and on to the street.

One homeless girl in her twenties who asked not to be named described how she had woken up while sleeping on the streets to find two men with their hands under her clothes. “I’ve been sexually harassed, urinated on and spat at while on the street. It’s like people no longer see me as a human being.”

The proposal has caused concern among the student community. One Brasenose student, who volunteers giving out food and hot drinks to the homeless, said she was outraged by the report on funding cuts. “When Oxford is such an extravagantly wealthy town, the fact that the most vulnerable people are now going to face more time on the streets is simply unjustifiable.”

The report, which suggested the project was unlikely to reflect the council’s new agendas of “rehabilitation” and “empowerment” as well as other services, has been opposed by Councillor Patrick Murray.

Mr Murray, who was himself homeless in the winter of 1999-2000, described how The Gap had helped him back into society. He has expressed concern for the planned closure.

“I want to see the work about where young people and people with mental health problems are going to go.

“I want to see that there’s going to be no gap in provision before any decisions about funding are taken.”

A final decision about the fate of The Gap will be made in February 2010 when budgeting decisions for the council will be made.

Imran Khan, a leading Pakistani cricketer and politician, spoke at the Union this Tuesday.

Khan, who attended Keble College to study PPE, spoke about his opposition to the heavy handed tactics in the war in Afganistan. “How do you fight terror with bombs?” he asked the audience, comprised of the Pakistani Society and Union members. Khan expressed his worries that Obama’s tactics will prove no more effective than Bush’s if he failed to realise that physical force will never achieve the goal of eliminating terrorism.

Whilst leaving the Union, the car waiting for Khan was forced to do a quick lap of the town to avoid a local parking attendant who was attempting to give it a parking ticket. When asked if he had fined the waiting car, the officer said, “I would have if she hadn’t moved on.”