<p><br /> Mephedrone is to be made a Class B drug and banned within weeks, Home Secretary Alan Johnson has announced.<br /> </p><p><br /> The legal high, which has been linked to up to 25 deaths in England and Scotland, will be banned and made a Class B drug, he said.<br /> </p><p><br /> The announcement came after Mr Johnson was given a report backing a ban on mephedrone - also known as meow-meow or plant food - from Professor Les Iversen, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD).<br /> </p><p><br /> There had been speculation that the late resignation of Dr Polly Taylor from the ACMD could delay a ban because of its membership rules. But a spokesman from the Home Office maintained the body was still able to fulfil its legal role.<br /> </p><p><br /> Mephedrone is set to be classified as a Class B drug, alongside cannabis and amphetamines, carrying a maximum sentence of five years for possession or 14 years for supply.<br /> </p><p><br /> These restrictions could be in place within weeks but Johnson announced that a ban on importing the drug will come into force immediately.<br /> </p>
