3-MMC

3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), also known as metaphedrone, is a designer drug from the substituted cathinone family. 3-MMC is a monoamine transporter substrate (a substance acted upon by monoamine transporters in the brain) that potently releases and inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, as well as displaying moderate serotonin-releasing activity

3-Methylmethcathinone is a structural isomer of mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) and, as such, is illegal via blanket bans in many countries that have banned mephedrone. However, MMC has still appeared on the recreational drug market as an alternative to mephedrone and was first identified being sold in Sweden in 2012.

As with mephedrone, users of 3-MMC typically report effects such as an elevated mood, pleasant body sensations, feelings of love and empathy, euphoria, greater appreciation of music, heightened libido, and increased confidence and sociability.

Adverse effects range from aggression, dry mouth, and jaw clenching to more serious effects such as hyponatremia, seizures, hyperthermia, and rhabdomyolysis. 

Due to its fleeting duration and dopaminergic effects, 3-MMC is highly addictive and commonly abused. Repeated dosing within a sitting is typical, sometimes using different routes, primarily oral and intranasal. Common self-reported doses range from 50 to 150 mg, up to a single 500 mg dose. Intranasal administration, or snorting, is the most common route of administration, followed by oral administration, followed by other routes, such as rectal administration and injection into the bloodstream.

Users may dose repeatedly in order to extend the drug’s duration, leading to 0.5–2 gram “sessions” that can span an evening. Single-dose effects last from 30 to 60 minutes, typically peaking around 10 minutes post-dose. The study did not find any instances of users injecting 3-MMC. Moreover, 26% of the users reported taking more than 1.5 grams of 3-MMC in a single sitting, and over 50% reported having consumed more than 0.5 grams in a single sitting.