Pubdate: Mon, 08 Aug 2005
Source: Daily Record (UK)
Copyright: 2005 Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/111
Author: Derek Alexander
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

BRAIN DAMAGE ALERT OVER SHREK ECSTASY

Pills Pour Into Scotland

DRUG dealers are flooding Scotland with addictive ecstasy pills which cause 
symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease.

The green-coloured tablet - nicknamed Shrek after the children's movie 
character - poured into the country before thousands of revellers headed to 
T in the Park last month.

The ecstasy - or MDMA - pills were the most common drug seized by police at 
the music festival in Kinross and dealers are selling it for as little as 
UKP 2 each.

But scientists working for the Daily Record, who analysed Shrek tablets 
purchased in a Glasgow nightclub, found they also contained methamphetamine.

Misuse of the powerful stimulant drug - also known as meth or speed in its 
less pure form - affects the central nervous system, causing symptoms 
similar to the severe movement disorder Parkinson's A technician at the 
University of Glasgow said: 'Methamphetamine is popular in places like 
Thailand and Japan and is rarely seen in the UK.

'I've been analysing street drugs for years and have only seen it once before.

'No one should be under the illusion it's a harmless drug and just a bit of 
fun.'

A police source said: 'The Shrek tablets were first discovered by police at 
T in the Park.

'We confiscated more of them than any other drug during the festival. We 
hadn't come across this type of ecstasy tablet up until then.'

The drug which is also known as Yaba - Thai for 'crazy drug' - can keep 
users awake for days, with some reporting they thought bugs were crawling 
under their skin.

Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie confessed to once being hooked on the drug.

Her weight dropped so dramatically she told friends she was bulimic instead 
of admitting she had a drug problem.

Methamphetamine misuse is on the rise on other parts of the world and is 
widely available in the Far East.

It is mass produced at illegal laboratories in Thailand, Japan and China.

Many users admitted they had switched from taking ecstasy to 
methamphetamine unaware they could become hooked. At least one in seven get 
physically addicted.

The drug can be snorted, injected or smoked. Users describe the sensation 
as a euphoric high similar to MDMA.

Alistair Ramsay, of Scotland Against Drugs, said: 'This illustrates illegal 
substances people buy often contain more harmful and deadly ingredients 
than they might have bargained for
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth