CALLS are growing for the so-called "legal high" party drug mephedrone to be banned from the streets of South Wales.

Police say they have seen an increase in its use in the area in recent months, and a Welsh teachers' union has also expressed concerns about it.

The drug hit headlines this week after it was linked to the death of two teenagers in Scunthorpe.

Mephedrone — also known M-Cat, MC or meow — is a stimulant with effects similar to cocaine or Ecstasy, but is legal to buy and is often advertised as plant food.

However, there are increasing concerns about its toxic effects, and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is currently looking at the drug with a view to recommending it be outlawed. It has already been banned in several European countries.

Alan Murphy, community drugs liaison officer with South Wales Police, said: "This is an emerging problem locally.

"We have seen an increase in use over the past six months among pubbers and clubbers, though its use is still small compared to cocaine.

"Typically, the side effects of mephedrone are paranoid delusions, nose bleeds, and heart palpitations, and the comedown can be really nasty. It is also very aggressive on the nasal passage when sniffed, and can cause a lot of damage to the nasal area."

Mephedrone is a white or yellow-ish powder, and Detective Constable Murphy said users were often taking it mixed with cocaine, either intentionally or because they could not tell what they were buying from dealers. The drug can be bought online for less than £10 a gramme.

Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, has said the UK Government would take any action needed to deal with the drug.

Anna Brychan, of the National Association of Head Teachers Cymru, said the status of mephedrone needed to be reviewed.

She said: "This hasn't been a prominent issue for members in Wales — yet, anyway — but given its use is now reportedly widespread in clubs, it is probably only a matter of time. Schools, of course, are often the first to notice trends of this kind. We think policy-makers should look at this. While we'd be wary of criminalising young people if it were banned, this drug is lethal and how we deal with it must be considered in that context."

jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk