1-(3-Chlorophenyl)piperazine or
meta-chlorophenylpiperazine.
A compound sometimes marketed as an
ecstasy substitute. Due to being
legal in most countries and very easy to obtain, mCPP has found its way into many '
ecstasy' tablets being sold on the black market, particularly in the
UK.
The chemical is used in the medical world for testing headache medication, as it is known to induce migraines in 90% of individuals who commonly suffer from them. As such, it is very rarely taken on purpose for recreational use and is only normally taken in error where the user is expecting MDMA (
ecstasy).
Effects seem to vary dramatically from one individual to the next, but generally include headaches, gastrointestinal discomfort, tachycardia, dizziness, vomiting, hallucinations and insomnia. Some users claim mCPP produces a similar high to MDMA (
ecstasy) - but most consider this high to be overpowered by the negative effects of the drug, making it not worthwhile. Effects normally come on within 30 minutes, beginning with stomach cramps and general discomfort. Many users report the 'comedown' to include a searing headache felt in the front of the face and difficulty sleeping even many hours after ingestion of the substance.
Due to its vast array of effects, mCPP is often mistaken for other substances by those who are inexperienced or unaware of its existence. The rushing and jaw clenching often experienced leads some users to believe the pill they have ingested contains
speed (amphetamine), while the 'trippy' hallucinogenic side-effects lead others to believe the pill has been adulterated with ketamine or a phenethylamine such as DOB or 2C-
B. Genuine adulteration with these psychedelic substances is actually very uncommon, and would produce very different effects in any
case.
mCPP cannot be identified by any current pill testing kit, but experienced users can often identify it by means of taste - although it has a similar
bitter taste to that of MDMA, it is somewhat tangy and citrus-
like.
In recent months, mCPP pills have flooded the
ecstasy market in the
UK leaving traditional MDxx-based pills increasingly
hard to come by and often more expensive.