New drug set to replace mephedrone as 'legal high'

The Guardian UK reports about MDAI (5,6-Methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane for you chemistry geeks) and how it may be replacing mephedrone (criminalized in the UK this past week) as the legal high of choice:

The drug replicates many of the effects of MDMA, or ecstasy, and was developed as an antidepressant by a team at Purdue University in the US during the 1990s. Experts believe its chemical blueprint could soon be mass-produced by the Chinese manufacturers who flooded the UK with mephedrone. Last year mephedrone became the fourth-most popular drug in Britain behind cannabis, cocaine, and ecstasy.

The many websites selling mephedrone closed down last week with the final deadline for placing online orders 3pm on Wednesday. At the same time, sites began advertising or offering MDAI, most describing it as a "research chemical". One of the most popular mephedrone websites states: "New products for April – MDAI." Another announced the arrival of MDAI by declaring it was "proud to introduce a new compound to our product range". The cost of the chemical is about twice that of mephedrone, with a gram – which users say is enough for five hits – costing 25 pounds.

This drug is so new that there isn't even an Erowid vault for it. Interesting times.