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Norway, 2 September 2011
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health have given information about 20 pMMA-related deaths in Norway since July 2010.
Finland, 1 August 2011
In May 2011 the Finnish police confiscated a small amount of pink PMMA-tablets with a Rolex crown logo. The tablets seem to be similar to the ones seized in Norway. In addition to PMMA a small amount of methamphetamine was identified.
Spain, 22 July 2011
Information received from Spanish National Focal Point about the analysis of a 'legal high' product (sold in a grow shop) under the commercial name of DOVES RED (distributed by Am‐Hi‐Co), which contained PMMA, MDPPP and 4‐MEC. The product from Spain appears to be from the same company as one of the products found in Scotland
UK, 21 July 2011
The UK National Focal Point reported on two deaths associated with PMMA and MDMA in Scotland and the alert issued by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency.
Information on toxicity and/or seizures involving PMMA or PMA,UK, 10 June 2011
1. The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency has reported that as part of the Home Office Forensic Early Warning System, three products purchased from a head shop in Edinburgh, United Kingdom on 4 March 2011 contained both PMMA and MDPBP. (S
2. The Forensic Science Service has reported two seizures by Police: a) one in Lancashire (UK) on 9 February 2011 of 16.2 grams brown powder found to contain PMMA; b) One in Dorset (UK) on 13 January 2011 of 0.729 g cream coloured powder containing PMMA, lignocaine, methylenedioxy-alpha-pyrrolidinobutiophenone (MDPBP), MDPV, and 2-diphenylmethylpyrrolidine.
3. The National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths have noted no recent deaths reported to them associated with PMMA or PMA.
4. TicTac Communications have noted that they have not seen PMMA or PMA in recent test purchases.
16 pMMA-related deaths in Norway since July 2010, 31 May 2011
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has detected pMMA in 16 fatalities since July 2010. The latest development is four deaths in April/May 2011. pMMA seems to be the decisive cause of death in most of the cases. pMMA is also regularly detected in drivers suspected for driving under the influence of drugs in Norway, the number of these pMMA-positive cases seems quite stable the last months.
pMMA seizured in tablets which look like ecstasy for the first time, Norway, 31 May 2011
This week, The National Criminal Investigation Service in Norway have found pMMA in tablets which looks like ecstasy. This is the first time they found pMMA in this kind of tablets, and the seizure was 477 tablets. All of the tablets were round, pink and engraved with a tails-subject (heads or tails) and a divide-line at the other side (se picture below). The tablets contained mainly pMMA, but also small amounts of methamphetamine and MDMA. The tablets were quite porous and with varying thickness. The National Criminal Investigation Service says this seizure shows a possible turn for pMMA from the amphetamine-marked to the ecstasy-marked.
Fatality related to PMMA, Austria, 9 March 2011
Information from AGES provided by our Austrian colleagues on a death related to PMMA:
'The person died (in january) because of PMMA, in the blood MDPBP was also present but the dose of PMMA was lethal. A urine test was negative for all substances except amphetamines. It seems that the person bought a 1:1 mixture of PMMA and MDPBP as „Speed“ in Vienna and snorted it. A cerebral swelling following the consumtion of PMMA ist he official cause of death.'
Update on PMMA/PMA alert from Austria, 18 February 2011
Check iT found no new samples containing PMA so it seems to be a singular phenomenon.
Update on PMMA alert from Norway, 2 February 2011
The number of deaths associated with PMMA has now risen to 12 in Norway.
Update on PMMA alert from the Netherlands, 3 December 2010
Two possible fatalities and two serious health incidents linked to tablets containing PMMA.
Europol alert on PMA/PMMA, November 2010
Update on PMMA situation from Norway and Netherlands
On 15 November 2010 the Norwegian FP updated information on three additional death cases associated with PMMA, rising the total number of cases to 9.
Furthermore, the Norwegian National Crime Investigations Service provide the following information on PMMA seizures:
"In contrast with this new finding in the Netherlands, we have not seen any PMA yet in our samples, only PMMA. Those who analysed blood samples also found PMA because it is also a metabolite of PMMA. Regarding the recent situation with PMMA in Norway: The total number of seizures made by the police is now up to 48 and we had a large seizure in our lab this week (21,97 kg powder). The powder in this seizure was not very pure with traces of methamphetamine, which we have also seen in many other seizures. Some seizures have been PMMA mixed with moderate amounts of amphetamine."
In addition to the PMMA message by the Norwegian Focal Point, the Dutch FP informed that DIMS has forwarded a general warning on Thursday November 12th last to inform the public for specific tablets sold as XTC in The Netherlands. These tablets contain high doses (> 100 mg/tablet) of PMMA (paramethoxymethamphetamine).
Fatalities related to PMMA (Norway) and PMA detected in XTC-like user samples (Netherlands)
On 29 October 2010, the Norwegian NFP and the Forensic Toxicology and Drugs Abuse of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health provided the following information on deaths related to the consumption of PMMA:
“PMMA has been detected in blood samples from 6 overdose death cases during the period from July to end of September this year. All samples, representing young people, have been collected during autopsies and analysed at The Division of Forensic Toxicology and Drugs Abuse, Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
In all samples, other drugs were also detected, mostly amphetamine and methamphetamine, but for some cases other narcotic drugs or psychoactive medicines were detected. The victims are from difference areas of the country. After September we have not detected any new overdose cases with PMMA.
However, our laboratory has now included PMMA in the standard analytical program used for all autopsy samples and also for blood samples from drivers suspected for driving under the influence of drugs other than alcohol. PMMA is frequently detected in these traffic cases, sent from different districts in Norway, indicating that PMMA is present and spread.”
In addition, the Dutch DIMS has alerted on their findings of powders sold as amphetamine, which contained up to 5-10% PMA (para-methoxyamphetamine or 4-MA).
Both PMA and PMMA are known to have considerable toxicity and to have been responsible for fatal overdoses in the past. PMA has been listed in Schedule I of the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances since 1986, whereas PMMA is controlled at EU level SINCE 2002 following the EMCDDA risk assessment of 2001.
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