Meow Meow Epidemic Hits the US

Use of the highly-addictive, but popular designer drug ‘meow meow’ is increasing among 20-somethings in the US, experts have warned.

The drug, known as ‘bath salts’ in the US, can be snorted or swallowed and has similar effects to cocaine and amphetamine.

It is the fourth most popular drug used in British nightclubs and usually contains synthetic cathinones such as mephedrone.

Mephedrone abuse has risen sharply in the US over the past two years and new legislation hasn’t solved the problem.

Drug enforcement officer Jim Burns said: ‘New York State passed a bath salts law a year ago. No sooner had they passed it, some enterprising chemist somewhere tweaked the chemical formula.

‘Now it’s no longer the substance that was banned in the state law. So we’re back to square one.’